Washington (CNN) FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday that Russia was engaging in real-time "malign influence operations" against the United States and called the country the "most aggressive actor" in the space of election interference. The wide-ranging interview at times placed him in contrast with the President, who spent the week waffling on rhetoric to describe Russia's threat.

Speaking with NBC News anchor Lester Holt at a national security forum in Aspen, Colorado, Wray said the Russian operations were "very active" and "aimed at sowing discord and divisiveness in this country."

Wray also said that his "view has not changed" on the fact, established by the 2017 intelligence community assessment, that "Russia attempted to interfere with the last election."

Nearly one year into his tenure as President Donald Trump's hand-picked FBI chief, Wray's remarks were a stark staking of claim on territory that Trump has consistently muddied.

On Monday, Trump cast doubt on the intelligence community's assessment of Russian interference in a news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and earlier on Wednesday appeared to suggest he did not believe Russian measures against American democracy were ongoing.

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