The Obama administration received numerous warnings – some as far back as 2014 – that Russia was putting together a disinformation operation that could be used to interfere with the U.S. political system, Politico is reporting.
The warnings came from national security officials, the website said.
A report handed over to administration officials in 2014 detailed the disinformation networks Russia was ramping up, according to Politico.
"You have no idea how extensive these networks are in Europe ... and in the U.S., Russia has penetrated media organizations, lobbying firms, political parties, governments and militaries in all of these places," a Russian source is quoted in the report, Politico said.
That report was part of a larger assessment of Russia's plans in Ukraine and did not specifically warn of the threat to U.S. election, Politico noted.
President Donald Trump has accused the Obama administration of knowing about Russian plans to meddle in the election.
But former Obama officials said that although the administration began receiving increased information about Russia's plans in 2014, they did not remember any warning about Moscow's intent in the U.S., Politico said.
"The Obama administration was nothing but proactive in responding to Russian aggression in all of its forms, especially as Moscow became more brazen with and following its military moves against Ukraine beginning in 2014," said Ned Price, former National Security Council spokesman.
Others, however, tell Politico that Obama White House officials were overly cautious about Russia and could have done more.
"They were warned," one source is quoted by the website. "They underestimated it until it was too late. They just didn't know how to deal with the bad guys."
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