Sir, – At the recent US house intelligence committee hearings on possible Russian interference in the US elections, Congressman Adam Schiff listed a litany of interactions between individuals aligned to the Trump campaign and the Russian establishment. He also summarised events and decisions which followed these interactions and asked the rhetorical question as to whether these were mere coincidences. In response Sean Spicer’s press conference was an exercise in spin in which he tried to put some distance between the Trump team and individuals being discussed at the hearing. It contained the usual confused ramblings and twisted logic, which have become the hallmark of that administration. What is interesting, yet at the same time disturbing, is how serious some of these allegations are and how weak the attempted refutation is from the Trump administration. The turmoil looks set to continue. – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Sir, – I note that the US intelligence agencies are coming around to the conclusion that Russia tried to influence the result of the US presidential election in favour of Donald Trump. If they can establish this beyond doubt, they can hardly shout too loudly about it in view of many covert operations that the US has been involved in all over the world, assisting in assassinations, rigged elections, and the propping up of corrupt regimes over the last 80 years or so. – Yours, etc,
MALACHY DALY,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.