Washington: President Barack Obama on Friday said that the United States would retaliate for Russia’s efforts to influence the presidential election, asserting that “we need to take action,” and “we will.”
The comments, in an interview with NPR, indicate that Mr Obama, in his remaining weeks in office, will pursue either economic sanctions against Russia or perhaps some kind of response in cyberspace.
The President spoke as President-elect Donald Trump again refused to accept Moscow’s culpability, asking on Twitter why the administration had waited “so long to act” if Russia “or some other entity” had carried out cyberattacks.
The White House strongly suggested before the election that Mr Obama would make use of sanctions authority for cyberattacks that he had given to himself by executive order. But he did not, in part out of concern that action before the election could lead to an escalated conflict.
If Mr Obama invokes sanctions on Russian individuals or organisations, Mr Trump could reverse them. But that would be politically difficult, as his critics argue that he is blind to Russian behavior.
On Friday, pressure grew on Mr Trump in Congress for him to acknowledge intelligence agencies’ conclusions that Russia was behind the hacking. But aides said that was impossible before the Electoral College convenes on Monday to formalise his victory.
Mr Trump has said privately in recent days that he believes there are people in the CIA who are out to get him and are working to delegitimise his presidency, according to people briefed on the conversations.
In September, meeting privately in China with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Mr Obama not only complained, the White House says, but also warned him of consequences.
— By arrangement with the New York Times
