Politics

Trump: ‘Dishonest Media’ Wrong, I Don’t Agree With Julian Assange

(REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Font Size:

President-elect Donald Trump denied that he is in “agreement” with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange Thursday morning, adding that he is a “big fan” of American intelligence services.

“The dishonest media likes saying that I am in Agreement with Julian Assange – wrong,” Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday morning, apparently in response to public criticism of his tweets.

“I simply state what he states, it is for the people,” Trump said, “to make up their own minds as to the truth.”

“The media lies to make it look like I am against ‘Intelligence’ when in fact I am a big fan!” he concluded.

Trump has faced criticism for his public skepticism of intelligence reports that finger Russia for the hacking of Democratic party officials prior to the presidential election. On Wednesday he was criticized after quoting in a tweet Assange’s claim that the Russian government was not his source for the hacked documents.

On Tuesday, Trump appeared to cast doubt on the legitimacy of probes into Russia’s role in the hacking, claiming that an intelligence briefing had been pushed back to Friday, hinting that intelligence agencies needed to “build a case” before then.

“The ‘Intelligence’ briefing on so-called ‘Russian hacking’ was delayed until Friday, perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange!” he wrote.

Trump’s apparent distrust of American intelligence services has lead some in the media to characterize him as in agreement with Assange. A recent New York Times headline read, “Trump Appears To Side With Assange Over Intelligence Agencies’ Conclusions.”

Trump has made Twitter his primary mode of communication with the public. He has not held a press conference in months but is scheduled to hold one on Jan. 11.

Follow Hasson on Twitter