Donald Trump aide Kellyanne Conway on Thursday took a shot at Josh Earnest after the White House spokesman suggested the president-elect knew before Election Day that Russia was behind the hacks.
“That is just remarkable. That is breathtaking. I guess he’s auditioning to be a political pundit after his job is over soon,” Conway said on “Fox & Friends.”
“That is incredibly disappointing to hear from the podium of the White House press secretary because he … essentially stated that the president-elect had knowledge of this, maybe even fanned the flames.”
{mosads}Earnest earlier this week suggested Trump was aware before Election Day that Russia was behind a series of hacks on Democrats and Democratic Party organs during the campaign.
“There’s ample evidence that was known long before the election and in most cases long before October about the Trump campaign and Russia — everything from the Republican nominee himself calling on Russia to hack his opponent,” Earnest said during a White House press briefing.
“It might be an indication that he was obviously aware and concluded, based on whatever facts or sources he had available to him, that Russia was involved and their involvement was having a negative impact on his opponent’s campaign.”
According to a report from The Washington Post, a secret CIA report concluded Russia intervened in the U.S. presidential election to help Trump win the White House. The president-elect and his aides have since blasted the report. Trump called it “ridiculous” that Russia would intervene to help him win the presidency.
Conway on Thursday called Earnest’s comments “incredibly irresponsible.”
“And I wonder,” she said, “if his boss, President Obama, agrees.”
In July, Trump told reporters he “hoped” Russian hackers obtain and release deleted emails from the private email server Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton used while secretary of State.