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Trump says he was being sarcastic about Russia and emails

 
"Of course, I'm being sarcastic," Donald Trump said, when asked about his remarks about Russians and Hillary Clinton's missing emails. [Associated Press]
"Of course, I'm being sarcastic," Donald Trump said, when asked about his remarks about Russians and Hillary Clinton's missing emails. [Associated Press]
Published July 28, 2016

Donald Trump said he was being sarcastic when he told reporters he hoped Russia could find Hillary Clinton's deleted emails.

Asked Thursday morning by Fox News's Brian Kilmeade whether Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook was right to cast the quip as a national security issue, Trump was dismissive.

"You have to be kidding," he said. "His client, his person deleted 33,000 emails illegally. You look at that. And when I'm being sarcastic with something ..."

"Are you being sarcastic?" Kilmeade asked.

"Of course, I'm being sarcastic," Trump said. "But you have 33,000 emails deleted, and the real problem is what was said on those emails from the Democratic National Committee. You take look at what was said on those emails, it's disgraceful."

The remark, made Wednesday morning at a news conference in South Florida, set off concern among leading politicians and national security officials across the political spectrum.

"Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," Trump said during the gathering. "I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press."

The statement again drew attention to the Trump campaign's Russian connections. Campaign chairman Paul Manafort has made millions of dollars through business deals with pro-Russia oligarchs. He also advised the Putin-aligned president of Ukraine whose 2014 overthrow triggered Russian intervention there.

Kilmeade pressed Trump on how he would act in the face of Russian aggression.

"I'm not going to tell you what I'd do. Why would I tell you something like that," the candidate asked. "No, no. You got to keep it a little bit secret."