Washington (CNN) White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, seeking to blunt criticism that the Trump administration has not punished Russia over its 2016 election meddling, cryptically hinted Tuesday that an unpublicized action had already been taken.

President Donald Trump "has done a number of things to put pressure on Russia and be tough on Russia," Sanders said at the Tuesday briefing. "Last week there was an incident that will be reported in the coming days."

She added: "He has been tougher on Russia in the first year than Obama was in eight years combined."

Her defense comes days after special counsel Robert Mueller released a detailed indictment against 13 Russian nationals for allegedly interfering in the 2016 US election. Sanders later echoed some recent Trump tweets, claiming Trump has been tougher on Russia than former President Barack Obama ever was. That statement doesn't seem to reflect reality, however.

While Trump and even some Democrats have criticized the Obama administration as not speaking up enough on Russia's actions before the election, Obama did take some steps to reprimand the country.

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