Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Wednesday that the U.S. government needs to do more to punish Russia for election meddling and deter Russian officials from attempting to interfere again.
“We need to do more,” Nielsen said at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing when asked what punishment would deter future meddling. Nielsen did not specify what future actions the U.S. should take.
Pressed by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on whether the U.S. has successfully deterred Russia from interfering again, Nielsen replied that the U.S. has not and added that there is “no reason to believe” Russia will not attempt to meddle again.
Earlier in the hearing, former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said that sanctions imposed by the Obama administration were not an effective deterrent for Russia.