Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that he was not briefed on potential Russian bounties on US troops because it "didn't rise to the occasion," and that "many" intelligence officers "didn't believe it happened at all." Trump made the claim despite conflicting reports -- including a US official telling CNN that intelligence about the bounties was included in the President's Daily Brief sometime this spring. "I'm sure I don't see many things that they don't think rose to the occasion," Trump said, while claiming not to have been briefed on the intelligence. "This didn't rise to the occasion. I think it's a hoax, I think it's a hoax by the newspapers and the Democrats," Trump told Fox Business in a Wednesday interview.

Source: CNN July 01, 2020 20:03 UTC