DHS/ELECTIONS/INTELLIGENCE/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Thursday [7-19-18] said the United States needed to be prepared for an attempt by Russia to interfere in elections in all 50 U.S. states this year, adding that there was no question Moscow interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential contest…President Donald Trump this week has struggled to quiet an uproar over his failure to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s meddling when the two leaders met in Helsinki on Monday [7-16-18]. At the summit, Trump refused to blame Putin for the election meddling and said it could be ‘other people,’ then a day later tried to clean up his remarks. Earlier on Thursday, Trump said he looked forward to meeting again with his Russian counterpart. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia carried out a campaign of hacking and propaganda targeting the 2016 U.S. presidential election in an attempt to sow discord, disparage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and aid Republican Trump’s candidacy. Putin has denied any such meddling.”
-Reuters Staff, “U.S. must prepare for more Russian meddling: Nielsen,” Reuters, July 19, 2018 8:35 am