CIA director: ‘I don’t love’ Wikileaks – The Hill

CIA Director Mike Pompeo took a swipe at Wikileakson Thursday, saying he doesn't "love" the anti-secrecy organization.

Pompeo arguedduring aninterview with conservative New York Times columnist Bret Stephens at theAspen Institutes Security Forum that Wikileaks is intent on harming America.

"WikiLeaks will take down America any way they can," he said.

"I don't love WikiLeaks."

Pompeo was also asked about whether he believes Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

"Of course they did," he said. "And the one before that. And the one before that."

The CIA chiefhas previously come out strongly against WikiLeaks, calling them a non-state hostile intelligence service" in an April speech in his first public speech since joining President Trumps administration.

"It's time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is: A non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia, he said.

But both Trump and Pompeo praised WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign, with Trump once declaringon the campaign trail, I love WikiLeaks.

Pompeo also once used his congressional Twitter account to tweet a link to WikiLeaks posting of thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee. CNNfound several other instances in which Pompeo cited WikiLeaks to attack then-Democratic nominee Hillary ClintonHillary Rodham ClintonFormer Justice Dept spokesman: Trump looks 'super guilty' Maxine Waters is joking about 2020 but not about Trump How Florida explains our polarized politics MORE.

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CIA director: 'I don't love' Wikileaks - The Hill