In an unusual urging, Donald Trump asked Russia on Wednesday to hack Hillary Clinton’s private email data and make public her emails during her term as America’s top diplomat.
“Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” Trump said about his rival Democratic nominee, who, as secretary of state, used a private email server to correspond with State Department officials.
“I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press,” he added in a statement that amounts to inviting Moscow to intrude into American government correspondence and election process and is likely to draw intense political reaction.
The FBI recently concluded its investigation that did not see any reason for charging anyone linked to the scandal in the court.
However, Trump went far ahead seeking disclosure of the emails from any source or channel.
The Republican candidate’s appeal to the Russians comes in the middle of a controversy on hacking of Democratic computer data. Democrats and unnamed US intelligence officials, cited in the American media, believe Moscow was behind the hacking.
Trump has also faced criticism for his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin, although he tried to downplay that in Wednesday’s remarks.
In his remarks made during a Press conference in South Florida, the Republican nominee also said he would love to see the emails.
“They probably have them. I’d like to have them release. It gives me no pause, if they have them, they have them,” the billionaire real estate businessman said.
“If Russia or China or any other country has those emails, I mean to be honest with you, I’d love to see them.”
