National security advisor: Russia must stay out of election

White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said Tuesday United States will t tolerate any election interference from foreign countries.

O'Brien said he told his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, to “stay out” of vember election and that re would be severe consequences for any country that violates that directive.

O’Brien spoke to reporters after delivering remarks at a national security summit in Salt Lake City.

“ Russians said that y had plans to do anything of that nature,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said Russia was hit with sanctions following its interference in 2016 election that he hopes will be a deterrent to or countries.

However, re has already been evidence of interference by Russia, China and Iran, O’Brien said, as well as or countries that he declined to name.

“Free and fair elections are cornerstone of a democracy, and we’re t gonna tolerate any foreign adversary or foreign government getting involved,” he said about his meeting with Patrushev Friday in Geneva. “I think y understood that mess, and hopefully y’ll stay out of it.”

Senior Trump administration officials have been er to focus more on China in discussing election interference, asserting that Beijing is more potent danger.

Career intelligence officials say China is a major espion concern, but re is bipartisan consensus, including in a Republican-led Senate intelligence committee report, that Russia directly interfered in 2016 as it tried to help President Donald Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

This year, intelligence officials say, Russia is working to denigrate Democratic minee Joe Biden.

Microsoft released a report last month that found same Russian military intelligence outfit that hacked Democrats in 2016 has attempted similar intrusions into computer systems of more than 200 organizations, including political parties and consultants.

Most of infiltration attempts by Russian, Chinese and Iranian nts were halted by Microsoft security software, and targets were tified.