Former CIA director and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said in a new interview Russia seized on a "weakness" when it conducted cyberattacks on the U.S. election last year.
Panetta sat down with Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and spoke about Russia's meddling in the election and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"I think when [Putin] conducted the cyberattacks in the United States during the last election, he felt he could get away with it, without any kind of response," said Panetta, who led the CIA from 2009-2011 and the DOD from 2011-2013. "If there's anything I've learned in dealing with the Russians, it's that you have to show them that there's a line beyond which they cannot cross."
Panetta then explained how he thinks Putin is an opportunist who exploits others' weaknesses.
"I think he's somebody who takes advantage of weakness, and if he senses weakness then he'll take advantage of it," Panetta said. "I think that's what happened in Crimea, the Ukraine."
America's intelligence community concluded Russia tried to influence the U.S. election through computer hacks and the distribution of fake news. There also are several ongoing investigations into whether members of President Donald Trump's campaign had improper ties to America's Cold War foe.
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