“My fellow Americans,
In recent weeks, I have received unambiguous reports from our intelligence agencies that foreign actors used cyber warfare to attack American security. The purpose of such an assault was to influence our presidential election and to stir up dissent and division in our society.
It is impossible to know to what degree they succeeded in the former. It is my job as your future Commander in Chief to ensure they never succeed in the latter.
The Russian cyber attacks on the e-mail servers of the Democratic National Committee and on Hillary Clinton’s campaign were acts of blatant aggression against our democracy. The Russians may not have directly hacked our voting machines, but their aim was to distort and manipulate our electoral process. Such audacity cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged.
It does not matter that my campaign was ostensibly the beneficiary of this anti-American offensive, or that it was my opponent who suffered. I ran to be a champion for all Americans. I have been granted the immense honour and responsibility of representing and protecting all Americans. All Americans, whether they voted for me or not, are put at risk by this hostile intrusion. We cannot allow enemies of this country to sow seeds of doubt about the strength of our democracy.
I would like to extend my appreciation to the brave Congressmen and Senators who have made a stand against this assault, regardless of their political affiliation. This is not a time for replaying the differences that divided us on the campaign trail. It is a time for unity, cooperation, and bi-partisan respect for the dedicated men and women in our intelligence agencies who strive every day to keep us safe. I am grateful to my supporters for honouring their principles and declaring that any threat to American security transcends party politics. I am also grateful to my opponents for accepting the legitimacy of the election and my mandate to be your President.
I respect Vladimir Putin as a world leader, and I will aim to work with him whenever possible to promote the best interests both American citizens and the world. But there are some matters so grave that compromise is impossible. With regards to the integrity of our elections and the security of our nation, there can be no concessions. As your future President, I vow to fight the perpetrators of this crime against America to the utmost of my ability.
On January 20th, I will take an oath to ‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States’. I will put the interests of this nation and its citizens above all else. I will not allow other governments to jeopardise the principles and institutions that have made and continue to make America great. I will not let you down.”
