05:30Mandatory credit: The White House
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre appeared to contradict ongoing US assertions about foreign election interference, during a press briefing in DC on Friday.
Asked about allegations that 'Iranian hackers' had targeted the Trump campaign earlier in the year, she replied: "what I can say is that we learned about the statement yesterday, and - and the president has been made aware of it now. But we learned about the statement yesterday. This is something that the FBI, ODNI, and CISA have to speak to."
"But more broadly, what I can say about this is that NO foreign government, like Iran or Russia, are actively seeking to influence in our elections. And so, we have said that. We know that. And that’s why you’ve seen us take actions to hold accountable those seek to undermine confidence in our democracy, and we will continue to do so," she added, appearing to suggest her initial denial was accidental.
Jean-Pierre was also questioned about Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance's claim that the US had left Taiwan in a 'crappy' position due to ongoing arms supplies to Kiev, during a press briefing in Washington DC on Thursday.
"Do you agree with his assessment? Does the Biden administration believe that the US can’t protect Ukraine and Taiwan at the same time?" she was asked.
"Look, I’m not going to go into everything that someone who is in part of this 2024 election - everything that he’s saying or they are saying. Certainly would have to refer you to the campaign. I think you have seen this president be a leader on the global stage," she replied. "We’ll continue to be there for our partners and our allies out there." *
Earlier, Vance stated that: "“I think [Washington] has left Taiwan in a really crappy position, because we sent all our weapons to Ukraine."
Last Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed the RT network was 'functioning like a de facto arm of Russia’s intelligence apparatus' and said Washington would be launching a 'diplomatic campaign' against Russian media outlets, claiming they were involved in 'disinformation and covert influence'.
RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan called Blinken's claims 'nonsense' while Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the country's journalists had been 'subjected to aggression' and called it a 'chain of planned actions'.
The previous week, the US had accused Russian media of 'election interference', charging two RT workers with FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) violations.
RT did not comment directly but in response to what it said was a CNN request about an article on election interference, the organisation remarked: 'Hahahaha!' "2016 called, and it wants its cliches back," it continued. "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections… Somewhere, Secretary Clinton is sad that it's not because of her."
Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering in successive US presidential elections. An investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election - which saw Donald Trump take on Hillary Clinton - found no evidence of conspiracy or co-ordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
'NO foreign government, like Iran or Russia, actively seeking to influence in our elections' - WH spox appears to contradict US claims
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre appeared to contradict ongoing US assertions about foreign election interference, during a press briefing in DC on Friday.
Asked about allegations that 'Iranian hackers' had targeted the Trump campaign earlier in the year, she replied: "what I can say is that we learned about the statement yesterday, and - and the president has been made aware of it now. But we learned about the statement yesterday. This is something that the FBI, ODNI, and CISA have to speak to."
"But more broadly, what I can say about this is that NO foreign government, like Iran or Russia, are actively seeking to influence in our elections. And so, we have said that. We know that. And that’s why you’ve seen us take actions to hold accountable those seek to undermine confidence in our democracy, and we will continue to do so," she added, appearing to suggest her initial denial was accidental.
Jean-Pierre was also questioned about Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance's claim that the US had left Taiwan in a 'crappy' position due to ongoing arms supplies to Kiev, during a press briefing in Washington DC on Thursday.
"Do you agree with his assessment? Does the Biden administration believe that the US can’t protect Ukraine and Taiwan at the same time?" she was asked.
"Look, I’m not going to go into everything that someone who is in part of this 2024 election - everything that he’s saying or they are saying. Certainly would have to refer you to the campaign. I think you have seen this president be a leader on the global stage," she replied. "We’ll continue to be there for our partners and our allies out there." *
Earlier, Vance stated that: "“I think [Washington] has left Taiwan in a really crappy position, because we sent all our weapons to Ukraine."
Last Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed the RT network was 'functioning like a de facto arm of Russia’s intelligence apparatus' and said Washington would be launching a 'diplomatic campaign' against Russian media outlets, claiming they were involved in 'disinformation and covert influence'.
RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan called Blinken's claims 'nonsense' while Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the country's journalists had been 'subjected to aggression' and called it a 'chain of planned actions'.
The previous week, the US had accused Russian media of 'election interference', charging two RT workers with FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) violations.
RT did not comment directly but in response to what it said was a CNN request about an article on election interference, the organisation remarked: 'Hahahaha!' "2016 called, and it wants its cliches back," it continued. "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections… Somewhere, Secretary Clinton is sad that it's not because of her."
Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering in successive US presidential elections. An investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election - which saw Donald Trump take on Hillary Clinton - found no evidence of conspiracy or co-ordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
Mandatory credit: The White House
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre appeared to contradict ongoing US assertions about foreign election interference, during a press briefing in DC on Friday.
Asked about allegations that 'Iranian hackers' had targeted the Trump campaign earlier in the year, she replied: "what I can say is that we learned about the statement yesterday, and - and the president has been made aware of it now. But we learned about the statement yesterday. This is something that the FBI, ODNI, and CISA have to speak to."
"But more broadly, what I can say about this is that NO foreign government, like Iran or Russia, are actively seeking to influence in our elections. And so, we have said that. We know that. And that’s why you’ve seen us take actions to hold accountable those seek to undermine confidence in our democracy, and we will continue to do so," she added, appearing to suggest her initial denial was accidental.
Jean-Pierre was also questioned about Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance's claim that the US had left Taiwan in a 'crappy' position due to ongoing arms supplies to Kiev, during a press briefing in Washington DC on Thursday.
"Do you agree with his assessment? Does the Biden administration believe that the US can’t protect Ukraine and Taiwan at the same time?" she was asked.
"Look, I’m not going to go into everything that someone who is in part of this 2024 election - everything that he’s saying or they are saying. Certainly would have to refer you to the campaign. I think you have seen this president be a leader on the global stage," she replied. "We’ll continue to be there for our partners and our allies out there." *
Earlier, Vance stated that: "“I think [Washington] has left Taiwan in a really crappy position, because we sent all our weapons to Ukraine."
Last Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed the RT network was 'functioning like a de facto arm of Russia’s intelligence apparatus' and said Washington would be launching a 'diplomatic campaign' against Russian media outlets, claiming they were involved in 'disinformation and covert influence'.
RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan called Blinken's claims 'nonsense' while Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the country's journalists had been 'subjected to aggression' and called it a 'chain of planned actions'.
The previous week, the US had accused Russian media of 'election interference', charging two RT workers with FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) violations.
RT did not comment directly but in response to what it said was a CNN request about an article on election interference, the organisation remarked: 'Hahahaha!' "2016 called, and it wants its cliches back," it continued. "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections… Somewhere, Secretary Clinton is sad that it's not because of her."
Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering in successive US presidential elections. An investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election - which saw Donald Trump take on Hillary Clinton - found no evidence of conspiracy or co-ordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.