Ex-RNC Chair Questions Trump’s Hacking Claim: “Too Specific for Me”

Reacting to recent claims from Donald Trump’s campaign that it was hacked weeks ago, former Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Michael Steele expressed skepticism, insisting that the situation warrants further scrutiny. Appearing on MSNBC’s “The Weekend” on Sunday, Steele emphasized that, given Trump’s history, any information from his camp should be taken with caution.

The controversy began Saturday afternoon when Politico published a statement from Trump spokesperson Steve Cheung, who asserted, “These documents were obtained illegally from foreign sources hostile to the United States, intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our Democratic process.” Cheung also cited a new report from Microsoft, alleging that Iranian hackers breached the account of a “high-ranking official” in the U.S. presidential campaign in June 2024, coinciding with Trump’s selection of a vice presidential nominee.

However, MSNBC panelist and former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) quickly raised doubts, pointing out that the Trump camp’s statement was merely a “claim” and should be rigorously questioned. “‘Claimed,'” Walsh emphasized, adding, “Everyone’s initial reaction should be, ‘We can’t believe him, we can’t believe them,’ and that is their fault. You can’t believe anything that comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth. This is serious business, but I want to verify first.”

Steele chimed in, sharing his own reservations. “It’s too specific for me,” he said, expressing concerns about the details provided by Trump’s team. “I just want to back up and be clear, we know that some anonymous person, named Robert, okay, was peddling internal information from the Trump campaign,” remarked co-host Symone Sanders Townsend. “So, while we have not—as NBC News hasn’t independently verified that it was in fact, Iran, we don’t know that somehow some internal documents got out, so what are we skeptical about?”

Steele responded by questioning the origin of the alleged hack. “The origin of the hack,” he stated. “I mean, I can hack myself if I want. I mean, I agree with Joe. I’m sorry, this is a space that has been created by him and now I’m just supposed to fall down believing because he says he was hacked by Iranians with such specificity when nobody else in government or elsewhere can verify that?”

Steele concluded by highlighting the skepticism that now surrounds anything associated with Trump. “This is the environment Donald Trump has created. So now, if I show skepticism or Joe shows skepticism, don’t come at me, because you remember Russia, Russia, Russia?” he added, referencing past controversies surrounding Trump’s alleged ties to Russia. The debate underscores the heightened scrutiny and doubt surrounding Trump’s statements, particularly when it comes to claims that have yet to be substantiated by independent sources.