--- title: Donald Trump: Lindsey Graham Says Russia Hacked Election description: Sen. Lindsey Graham countered President Trump's comments about who was responsible for the hacks that influenced the 2016 election canonical: https://time.com/4771426/lindsey-graham-election-interference-400-pound-hacker/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-08T21:18:03.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:48:40.522Z article:section: Politics og:title: Lindsey Graham: Russia, 'Not Some 400-Pound Guy' Hacked the 2016 election og:description: "There’s no doubt in my mind it was the Russians involved" og:url: https://time.com/4771426/lindsey-graham-election-interference-400-pound-hacker/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltda80a28b11dff99a/6988cc7b97cdff4c096b09c0/lindsey-graham-russia-hearing.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4000 og:image:height: 2250 og:image:alt: Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Holds Hearing On Russia Interference In The 2016 Election og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Lindsey Graham: Russia, 'Not Some 400-Pound Guy' Hacked the 2016 election twitter:description: "There’s no doubt in my mind it was the Russians involved" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltda80a28b11dff99a/6988cc7b97cdff4c096b09c0/lindsey-graham-russia-hearing.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 03:35 video:published: 2017-05-08 section: politics topics: Russian interference, presidential election, Senate Judiciary subcommittee, Department of Justice, classified information, national security, congressional testimony, federal prosecution genre: testimony, opening statement tones: formal, measured, deferential, cautious emotions: seriousness (high), respect (medium), caution (medium) sentiment: neutral audience: political observers, policy followers, legal professionals, general news readers people: Sally Yates organizations: U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. intelligence community content_suitability: politics [00:00-03:35]; war [01:49-02:26] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Sen. Lindsey Graham: It Was Russia, 'Not Some 400-Pound Guy' That Hacked the 2016 Election > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=787ad431-25e4-44dd-80bb-d25f16d5095f&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Sally Yates' Testimony Before the Senate Judiciary Committee [Watch (HLS stream): Sally Yates' Testimony Before the Senate Judiciary Committee](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/HrVWNxRb.m3u8) (3:35)  _Published 2017-05-08. Sally Yates delivered her opening statement about the concerns she raised regarding one of President Donald Trump's national security adviser Michael Flynn and his connections with Russia_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary Sally Yates opens her testimony before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Russian interference in the last presidential election. She recounts her 27-year career at the Department of Justice, from assistant U.S. attorney to acting attorney general, and thanks the subcommittee for its investigation. She notes the threat posed by foreign interference and explains that she cannot address classified information or ongoing DOJ deliberations in a public setting. ## Key points - Yates says she served 27 years with the Department of Justice, starting as an assistant U.S. attorney in Atlanta in 1989. (00:09) - Yates describes her career progression through five Republican and Democratic administrations, including serving as deputy attorney general for a little over two years. (00:37) - Yates says the current administration asked her to stay on as acting attorney general. (00:57) - Yates praises career Department of Justice staff, calling them the backbone of the department. (01:16) - Yates states that foreign efforts to interfere in and undermine democratic processes pose a serious threat to all Americans. (01:49) - Yates cites the January 2017 intelligence community report stating Russia will continue to develop capabilities to use against the United States. (02:15) - Yates says many topics of interest concern classified information she cannot address in a public setting. (02:45) - Yates says her duty to protect classified information continues as a former official and she is not authorized to discuss DOJ deliberations. (02:53) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 01:45] Opening and Yates' DOJ career. Yates introduces herself and summarizes her 27 years of service at the Department of Justice across several leadership roles. - [01:45 to 02:26] Thanks and threat of foreign interference. Yates thanks the subcommittee and describes foreign interference in democratic processes as a serious threat, citing the January 2017 intelligence report. - [02:26 to 03:35] Limits on public testimony. Yates explains she will answer questions as fully as possible while respecting limits on classified information and ongoing investigations. ## Key quotes - [01:49] Sally Yates: "The efforts by a foreign adversary to interfere and undermine our democratic processes, and those of our allies, pose a serious threat to all Americans." - [01:16] Sally Yates: "who are in fact the backbone of the department of justice." - [02:53] Sally Yates: "My duty to protect classified information applies just as much as a former official as it did when I led the department." - [03:01] Sally Yates: "I'm obviously no longer with the department of justice and I am not authorized to generally discuss deliberations within DOJ" ## Questions this video answers - What is Sally Yates' professional background with the Department of Justice? [00:09] - Why does Yates say she cannot fully answer some questions in this public hearing? [02:45] - How does Yates describe the threat of foreign interference in democratic processes? [01:49] - What did the January 2017 intelligence community report assess about Russia? [02:15] - What does Yates say about the role of career Department of Justice employees? [01:16] ## Content suitability - politics [00:00-03:35]: Congressional testimony on Russian interference in a U.S. presidential election and national security matters. - war [01:49-02:26]: Brief reference to a foreign adversary threatening national security and democratic processes.  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly May 8, 2017 9:18 PM UTC  Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, makes an opening statement during a hearing with former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates in Washington, D.C., on May 8, 2017. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, makes an opening statement during a hearing with former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates in Washington, D.C., on May 8, 2017. Andrew Harrer—Bloomberg/Getty Images  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly May 8, 2017 9:18 PM UTC South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham countered President Donald Trump’s previous comments about who was responsible for the hacks that influenced the 2016 presidential election during his opening remarks at a [Senate Judiciary subcommittee](http://time.com/4754803/donald-trump-russia-investigation-momentum/) hearing Monday,saying there was “no doubt in his mind” Russians were involved, Graham cited intelligence findings that Russian operatives tried to interfere in the election by hacking into the Democratic National Committee computer network as well as the emails of Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. “I think every American should be concerned about what the Russians did. From my point of view, there’s no doubt in my mind it was the Russians involved in all the things I just described — not some 400-pound guy sitting on a bed, or any other country,” Graham said. “Russia is up to no good when it comes to democracies all over the world.” Graham’s comments appeared to reference [statements made by Trump](http://fortune.com/2016/09/26/presidential-debate-hackers-body-shamed/?iid=sr-link1) during a presidential debate in September. “I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds,” Trump [said](http://fortune.com/2016/09/26/presidential-debate-hackers-body-shamed/?iid=sr-link1) at the time. “You don’t know who broke into DNC.” Trump again [raised the possibility](http://fortune.com/2017/04/30/trump-china-democrat-hack/?iid=sr-link4) that China orchestrated the DNC hack in an interview last month, though he offered no evidence to back the allegation. ## Transcript [00:00] I'm pleased to appear before you this afternoon, on this [00:02] critically important topic of Russian interference in our last [00:06] presidential election and the related topics that this [00:09] subcommittee is investigating. For 27 years, I [00:14] was honored to represent the people of the United States [00:17] with the Department of Justice. I began as an assistant [00:21] United States attorney in Atlanta in the fall of 1989 and [00:26] like all prosecutors, I investigated and tried cases and [00:30] worked hard to try to ensure the Safety of our communities. [00:33] And of those who violated our laws were held accountable. [00:37] Overtime through five Republican and Democratic [00:40] administrations. I assumed greater leadership positions [00:43] within the department. In US attorneys office in Atlanta, [00:46] serve as chief of the fraud and public corruption section. As [00:49] first assistant United States attorney and then was [00:52] appointed United States attorney and then I had the [00:55] privilege as serving as deputy attorney general for a little [00:57] over two years and finally the current administration asked [01:01] me to stay on as acting attorney general. Throughout [01:06] my time at the department, I was incredibly fortunate to be [01:09] able to work with the talented career men and women at [01:13] the department of justice, who followed the facts and [01:16] applied the law with tremendous care and dedication, and [01:20] who are in fact the backbone of the department of justice. [01:25] And in every step in every position from A [01:29] USA to acting attorney general, I [01:33] always try to carry out my responsibility to seek justice in [01:37] a way that would engender the trust and the confidence of [01:41] the people whom I serve. I want to thank this sub committee [01:45] for conducting in an impartial and thorough investigation of [01:49] this vitally important topic. The efforts by a foreign [01:53] adversary to interfere and undermine our democratic [01:55] processes, and those of our allies, pose a serious threat [02:00] to all Americans. This hearing and other subcommittee has [02:04] conducted and will be conducting in the future are imported [02:07] bipartisan step in understanding the threat and the best [02:11] ways to confront it going forward. As the intelligence [02:15] community assessed in its January of 2017 report Russia [02:19] will continue to develop capabilities to use against United [02:22] States And we need to be ready to meet those threats. I [02:26] sincerely appreciate the opportunity to take part in today's [02:30] discussion. Now, I wanna note that in my answers today, [02:34] I intend to be as fulsome and as comprehensive as [02:38] possible. While respecting my equal and ethical [02:42] boundaries. As the sub committee understands, many of [02:45] the topics of interest today concern classified information [02:49] that I cannot address in this public setting. My [02:53] duty to protect classified information applies just as much [02:57] as a former official as it did when I led the department. In [03:01] addition, I'm obviously no longer with the department of [03:04] justice and I am not authorized to generally discuss [03:08] deliberations within DOJ or more broadly within the [03:11] executive branch, particularly on matters that may be the [03:15] subject of ongoing investigations. I take those obligations [03:19] very seriously and I appreciate the sub committee's shared [03:23] interest in protecting classified information. And preserving [03:26] the integrity of any investigations, that the Department of [03:29] Justice, may now be conducting. I'll look forward to [03:32] answering your questions. Thank you. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4771426/lindsey-graham-election-interference-400-pound-hacker/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4771426/lindsey-graham-election-interference-400-pound-hacker/"},"headline":"Sen. 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