Trump’s new National Security Adviser rejected claims over Russian interference in U.S Election

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Robert Charles O’Brien is an American lawyer currently serving as the United States National Security Advisor. He is President Donald Trump’s 24^th National Security Advisor. O’Brien was a legal officer with the United Nations Compensation Commission in Geneva, Switzerland from 1996 to 1998. He served as a Major in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the U.S Army Reserve. O’Brien served as the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs from 25^th May 2018 to 3^rd October 2019. He defended Trump’s decision to pardon an alleged war criminal Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher in December 2019. The new U.S National Security Adviser has denied reports that US intelligence shows Russia is interfering to help Donald Trump win a second term.

O’Brien informed the chief anchor of ABC News, George Stephanopoulos that it was a non-story. He said, “I haven’t seen any intelligence that Russia is doing anything to attempt to get President Trump re-elected. I think it’s the same old story we’ve heard before. Our message to the Russians is to stay out of the U.S elections. We’ve been very tough on Russia and we’ve been great on election security”. He delivered his words after reports emerged the Office of the Director of National Intelligence told politicians that Russia is interfering in the 2020 race, and trying to put a finger on the scale for the Trump campaign.

He added, “You’re basing your assumptions, George, on leaks that came out of a House Intelligence Committee hearing. I haven’t seen the intel, and I haven’t seen that analysis”. It is noteworthy that the U.S intelligence officials have repeatedly warned about ongoing threats by Russia to interfere in American elections since it was first announced that Russia interfered in the U.S Presidential Election 2016. Moreover, The Washington Post has reported that Bernie Sanders has been briefed by U.S officials regarding Russian efforts to help his Democratic primary campaign. O’Brien said, “Well, there are these reports that they want Bernie Sanders to get elected president. That’s no surprise. He honeymooned in Moscow”.