Transcript for Sanders clarifies Trump's statement on whether Russia still a threat

With begin with the firestorm with president trump, is rus stl targeting the U.S. He sa, no tonight, the white houseing it's what he meit comes after appearing tth Putin over own intelligence ages the wo stage. Today's answeromes after the dif national intelligence shat russiis still at it, anhe warning lights are bnking red. Cecilia Vega leading us off. Reporter: Just 24 hours after present trump decl his full faith in America's intelligence agencies, and even th his ownirector of national ielligence warning Russia is right now targeting th, president trump Toda offerethis stunning contradiction. Is russistill targg the U.S., Mr. President? Thank you very much, no. Reporter: No? Doe O be the case? No. Reporter: We asked once, but twice. And twice, the president replied, " it directly contradicts the renallce who saithat Russia is behind "Ongoing, pervasive efforts ndermine our democracy." Anat's not all. I'm here to say the warning lights are blinking red N. Today, the digital infrasre that serves this country is literally under at Reporter: Frepublicans today, near universal condition. If he Reay lieves rus is not interfering in ou election, I'm dumbfounded by that statement. I kat drives this. It's baffling, I think, to all of us O have concerns about thintegrity of olections. The president is wrong and he should heed thrnings of E intelligence community. Reporter: The president was lady under fire for failing to publicly cont vladimi N for meddling in the 2016 election siding wh ssia's Lear over hiswn intelligence community. President Putin denied nganything tdo with the election interference in 2016. Every U.S. Intelligence agency has coluthat russidid. Coats came to me, and some others, and said they think it's ia. Have presint Putin, he just sa it's not Russi will say this. I don'any reason wt wod be. Eporter: That exchange, leading to an unhear walkback from president trump. Who claimed that, really, it was all just a one-word mess-up. In a key sentence in my remarks, I said the word would stead of woun't. The sentence should have been, I don't see any reason why I wo or why itouldn't be Russia. O repeat it, id the word would ins ouldn't. Thntence shoul been, I N't see anrehy it wouldn't be Russia. I think that probably clarifies things pregood by itlf. Reporter:esan 24 hourlater, at E house, yet another head-spinning nup effort. Prserah Sanders says the president wasn't actually saying no to estion about whether Russia is stiltargeting E S. I had a chance to speak with the prest after thos comments the president said thank you ry much, and wasing no to answering questions. Reporter: So we asked for a claration of T arification. I juant to clafyt you just said. Dan coats said point-blank, the threat is stilgoing from Russia. Dos white house believe that currently this th is still ongoing? We believe the threat still exists. Which is why we're taking steps to pre it. Cecilia, Sarah Sanders saying the president wasn'tually answering your question when he said no? Reporter: You saw the vide others N doubt president trump heard both quons. He looked directly ae when answing. And Sanders sai his no meant he dt want to answer quess, that's wt he did. Het on to answer another question from another reporter. , The white house once again inupode over the esident's answers to questions

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