ASPEN, Colo. (AP) FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday that Russia continues to use fake news, propaganda and covert operations to spin up Americans on both sides of hot-button issues to sow discord in the United States.
Wray stood behind the intelligence agencies assessment that Moscow meddled in the 2016 presidential election, dismissing Russian President Vladimir Putins claim that his country was not involved.
Hes got his view. I can tell you what my view is, Wray said at the opening event of the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. The intelligence communitys view has not changed. My view has not changed.
Wray spoke after a day of controversy in Washington over whether President Donald Trump accepts the intelligence agencies assessment and whether he believes Moscow is continuing to try to influence American elections or threaten the nations infrastructure.
Wray also dismissed Putins offer to allow the U.S. access to 12 Russian military intelligence officers who have been indicted on charges of interfering in the election in return for being able to interview Americans the Kremlin has accused of unspecified crimes.
The White House said it was under consideration. Wray dismissed the offer.
I never want to say never about anything, Wray said, but its certainly not high on our list of investigative techniques.
Much of the conversation with Wray, which was moderated by NBCs Lester Holt, focused on Russia.
Russia continues to engage in malign influence operations to this day, Wray said.
He said that while U.S. officials have not yet seen an effort by Russia to target specific election systems, it is aggressively engaged in influence operations to sow discord and divisiveness in America. To me, its a threat that we need to take very serious and respond to with fierce determination, Wray said.
He said the Russians identify divisive issues, and through covert and overt operations, fake news and propaganda, they spin people up on both sides of an issue and then kind of watch us go after each other.
