The 2016 election left many families divided. For many people, the election, which saw business tycoon Donald Trump ascend to the nation's highest office, signaled a further decline of democratic ideals.
By 2020, as Trump embraced conspiracy theories about the integrity of the 2020 election—a development many analysts had predicted would happen years prior—those concerns metastisized.
And by January 6, 2021, the day a mob of Trump's supporters stormed the United States Capitol on the false premise the election had been stolen, many had reached their breaking point, including supporters of the ex-President. Oh, and we haven't even touched the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic or the Trump administration's response (or lack thereof).
Trump is more than just a leader for a particular faction within the Republican Party. He is dogma. And after some Trump supporters decided to walk back their support, things got interesting.
People shared their stories with us after Redditor rickandtwocrows asked the online community,
"Former Trump supporters, what were your experiences when you stopped being a Trump supporter?"
"My entire family..."
"My entire family on both sides of my parents are unwavering Republicans. I’ve grown up under their influence and would repeat the things they told me to people at school and curse them for thinking anything different. In fact, if I dig deep enough into my closet I’ll be able to find my Trump socks and bright red hat to match."
"Since I moved out I started to experience the world firsthand instead of secondhand and realized that my previous views were a huge slap in the face to myself. It’s difficult to be around my family for long periods of time because no matter where we are, they make everything political and poke at me for thinking otherwise."
"Feel free to believe anything you want, but I hope more people open their eyes and see that our current situation benefits very few people."
TemporaryContest201
I think it speaks a lot to your character that you were willing to reevaluate your views.
"My 17-year-old son..."
"I used to be a very conservative guy. My 17 year old son passed away in early 2020. The parents of my best friend who passed away 10 years prior showed up to our house to offer comfort. When I answered the door, she was wearing a button that said “Trump Chick” and he was wearing a camouflage hat with the word “Trump” across the front."
"Rather than a simple I’m sorry for your loss, they spent the next 30 minutes complaining about illegal immigration, abortion and homosexuals. Our friends, largely conservative Christians but generally good people spent more time preaching the gospel of Trump during that time than offering any comfort, not that should have felt obligated to."
"It was my very liberal cousins who showed up out of nowhere to help set up his service. I received more love from my gay boss, a few of my lesbian friends, and one of my co workers who may or may not be an undocumented immigrant than I did from my right wing friends and family."
"It was the teen trans couple who my son made friends with who offered me a hug and shared about the wonderful time they had with him. It was the experiences that moved me more to the middle and realize that the far right people in this country are bananas."
"My son was a Christian who truely loved everyone. He would’ve been repulsed by Trumps actions. I try to follow his example."
Hillbilly415
You have our condolences.
What has always astounded me about the Christian conservative right is how much time they spend focusing negatively on others.
"It all started in 2020."
"It all started in 2020. Started wearing a mask because of Covid. I didn’t want to die and wanted to keep my family safe. I also work around the public and my mom had just been diagnosed with cancer."
"I live in a very red state. So red that our governor held a day of prayer to rid our state of Covid. So going to the store and wearing a mask was like walking into a trap. People would try to ram me with their shopping carts, give me dirty looks, treat me like I’m second class because I have a mask on. So that started my journey into changing the way I thought."
"Once my mom passed I connected with family that I hadn’t been in contact with since childhood. Huge Trump supporters. January 6th happened and my world crumbled. How could any American stand behind these traitors? I decided at this time that I was done with the Republicans and changed my political party the very next day."
"Family that I connected with since my moms funeral deleted me off Facebook, family stopped inviting my family to birthday parties, lost friends, my life changed. But I do not regret my choice one bit."
fatdad89
People tried to ram you with their shopping carts... this is a mentality I can never understand.
"My views changed..."
"My views changed during the pandemic. More so during the 2020 election. After Biden won, many people that I know went on rants about vaccines and how Biden is somehow the supreme commander of gas prices. It hurts me to see that those I know are convinced Trump is a hero when he is very much the opposite."
January 6th was the last straw, and I was completely done with the conservatives. They have lost my respect. I feel ashamed for having called myself a conservative for so long, but at least I’m done with them now."
FlotPlays
I still don’t understand why people believe one man is responsible for gas prices. Look at supply, demand and corporate. The economy needs more factors to work.
"I was an avid Trump supporter..."
"I was an avid Trump supporter all the way up until Jan 6th, it was like a switch in my head. Then after that I started to realize how bad of a person he is. I remember defending all the stupid/immoral/racist things he did because I thought he was going to save the U.S. God I felt so dumb after I came to my senses."
MillionPanda69
At least you came to your senses. That there are millions out there who back what happened on January 6 is terrifying.
"I realized..."
"I realized that “owning the libs” isn’t a valid political outlook. I really stopped supporting Trump, and later stopped being conservative once I started caring about actual issues like healthcare, and wages and stuff, not about crap like “forced diversity” or “cultural marxism” or “emasculation.""
savethebros
"When he made fun..."
"When he made fun of captured war vets, that’s when it crossed the line for me personally."
Jason163758
You and a lot of other people. Don't mess with the veterans.
"Trump was one of the worst offenders..."
"I became a Christian and began like, actually reading the Bible. The more I became in touch with faith, the easier I could see Republican politicians parading the Bible around and using God’s name for their own gain without actually living by the Word."
"Trump was one of the worst offenders, and I wondered why I ever put any faith in him that could have been used to help the poor, the needy and the sick exactly as Jesus would."
__Tdot__
What would Jesus do?
Answer: Not any of that.
"I expected Trump..."
"I expected Trump to lead the country in a productive manner in 2016. He led the country into chaos in 2020. Then when the Republican Party decided to back Trump after the January 6 Insurrection, I decided I'd never vote for another Republican cause again."
CleverlyCoathanger
For many who believed he could lead the country after 2016, COVID-19 was a total wake-up call.
"It was equally mind blowing..."
"I mainly supported Trump way back in 2016 because I liked McCain, and figured they would have similar values. But it was quickly lost when he started disrespecting his advisors, especially disrespecting Mattis."
"As someone who was in the military I remember people loved Mattis and for his 44 years in the military to be discounted by someone with no military experience showed me that Trump was more about power than actually caring about the welfare of others."
"It was equally mind blowing seeing people suddenly switch and then denouncing the general I saw them praising literally months prior. For me that was an eye opener, and everything else just was icing on the sh*t cake."
solitarytrees2
My, how quickly people turned! Unsettling, isn't it?
Although Trump has not officially declared that he will run in 2024, he is very much the favorite to win the GOP nomination. How many followers will he have gained or lost by then? Only time will tell.
Have a story of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
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People Break Down The Differences Between Biden's First Year In Office And Trump's
At the start of Donald Trump's presidency, protests raged in response to a ban he ordered via executive order to seven Muslim-majority countries. At the start of Joe Biden's presidency, the nation was still reeling from the Capitol riot, which had happened just two weeks prior.
The country is currently in a remarkably divided time and political bonds have frayed further, charged with anger.
But the real question here is how did these two men do?
Opinions varied, which made us more excited to read them after Redditor HannibalGoddamnIt asked the online community:
"Dear Americans of Reddit, how do you find this first year of Biden's presidency compared to Trump's?"
"Instead of taxing the rich..."
"Well, there is pretty much one thing that's continuing to make me mad. It's that Biden lowered the threshold from $20,000 to $600 to get a 1099-K form."
"Instead of taxing the rich, they want to go after the gig economy (like door dash, or Uber) or small time eBay sellers to nickel and dime them to death. Most people using these platforms are doing so as a side gig to make enough money to support their families. So let's go after those people and not the billionaires, right Biden?"
ColtsFanNY
To which this person replied:
"Guess it's good for my local card shop. Before the change I could sell for 80-90% of market value through various platforms. After fees I'd come out ahead of my local stores trade in value."
"Now, taxes plus fees means I barely make more, and dealing with shipping and customer problems just isn't worth the hassle. Now I just trade in for straight cash."
Weasel_Boy
"During the first year..."
"During the first year of Trump’s administration the majority of news headlines were about Trump."
"During the first year of Biden’s administration the majority of news headlines were about Trump."
st11es
To which this person replied:
"It’s actually kind of scary because Biden has done some things that need to be brought up but it’s like a radio silence around him. Unless it’s about his pets."
Legeto
"At least 90% of people..."
"At least 90% of people couldn't even tell you 5 things that the president has done since taking office, let alone give a good opinion on a president's performance. For some reason everyone cares a lot about the election process, and then completely ignores what the elected president does beyond that point."
HellizBlazer
To which this person replied:
"To be fair, that’s partly the point of a republic: vote some people in to deal with these problems since we don’t have the time and most aren’t qualified/educated enough on every world problem."
"Still, people should actually learn what a president does and pay attention to what they do, not just what happens to occur while they are president; although, it’s probably more important to focus on congress members that represent you."
selfproclaimedtot
"He expanded..."
"He expanded Bears Ears National Monument and so that’s a plus. Besides that, not much to say."
jebhebmeb
To which this person replied:
"He's also gotten a ton of judges confirmed. When it comes time to evaluate all the racial gerrymandering bills from red states, that's gonna matter."
gsfgh
"The minimum wage..."
"The minimum wage was supposed to go up. Still waiting."
The_Sad_Whore
To which this person replied:
"Plus he promised to eliminate $10K in student debt immediately and then just…. Didn’t. With no explanation."
OOOOOOO
"Meanwhile..."
"Trumps first year was breaking news nearly every day about how awful and evil the man was and how he was destroying our democracy. I bought into it all. Looking back, policy-wise, his first year was pretty basic and may have been good for our country. Optics wise, his presidency was a dumpster fire."
"Meanwhile, Biden’s first year has been the opposite. His policies are terrible. The country seems to actually be worse off than it was when trump left (this of course could be trumps fault to some extent, although Biden did campaign on how the buck stops with him). Meanwhile he gets handled with kid gloves by the media, for the most part."
IAmANobodyMA
To which this person replied:
"The Biden administration is quickly becoming a disaster. It's as if they are intentionally trying to make things worse. They are not held accountable by the majority of the news media - the same news media who knowingly lied about the Trump administration. A lot of folks are turning on the Democratic party, so the midterms should be interesting."
dee_berg
"He's managed..."
"He managed to make it a whole year without committing obstruction of justice, so that's a positive."
grombleduke
To which this person replied:
"The bar is so low."
sacrificialfck
"I feel like..."
"Is one year really long enough to see any true outcomes of changes though?"
"I feel like, if we think about it, a lot of changes that are put in place during a president’s time in office take years to make some kind of difference and then the current president gets blamed for consequences of some previous leader’s actions/decisions."
courtenax
To which this person replied:
"Is 4 years even enough either? How much can an administration even get done in that time? The other world leaders just laugh and wait it out for the next president."
BarrettBuilt
"The cost..."
"The cost of living part hit us all really hard. People who I knew were well off got slammed hard. Everyone is really struggling now. Meat prices are awful and so is gas. Groceries are looking the same as my truck payment now."
CuriousWrangler
To which this person replied:
"Where I live gas has gone from a 4 year low of $1.12/gal to a current $3.10/gal. Supply didn't shrink, so I can only assume lockdowns affected refining and distribution."
Wundei
"I just wanted..."
"I just wanted a return to the normal problems of government, not having to worry so much about itchy trigger fingers, massive grifting/corruption, gross incompetence, and boorish performances."
"So I guess I got what I wanted. Do I wish Biden were better? Yeah, of course. But given the state of politics in Congress, I didn't expect much."
thenextvinnie
To which this person replied:
"So good that I can go back to ignoring the White House."
Singlewomanspot
And there you have it. Many of the discussions were conducted in good spirits.
Sure, a few disagreed and some were perhaps harsher than others.
That said, there is no denying that much needs to change in the United States before it can be whole again.
Have some thoughts of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
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Former Bush Speechwriter Has An Unsettling Prediction Of What Trump Will Do If He's Acquitted By The Senate
Even as the evidence corroborating President Donald Trump's corrupt dealings in Ukraine continues to pile up, it remains a near certainty that the Republican dominated Senate will acquit him at the end of his impeachment trial.
It remains to be seen, however, if at least four Republicans will break with the party and vote to hear additional witnesses.
Now, a speechwriter for former President George W. Bush is predicting what will happen if the Senate vindicates Trump—and it's not pretty.
Michael Gerson wrote in a recent column for TheWashington Post:
"The president never views a near-miss as an opportunity for reflection and reformation. He sees it as permission to indulge his every urge, and his most consistent urge has been to seek unfair advantage in the upcoming presidential election. The months between Senate acquittal and the November vote will be fertile ground for further cheating."
Gerson's prediction that Trump will engage in further attempts to meddle with the 2020 election is far from baseless.
The President's now-infamous July 25 call, in which he urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, occurred only one day after Robert Mueller testified before Congress that he didn't have enough evidence to charge Donald Trump for conspiring with Russia to influence the 2016 election.
Democratic House impeachment managers, while making their case to the Senate, have cited this in warning that Trump will continue to corrupt the Democratic process if he's not held accountable, with chief impeachment manager Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) saying:
"If we don't stand up to this peril today, we will write the history of our decline with our own hand."
With Republicans standing firm beside Trump, Gerson says in his column that there's only one road to accountability left:
"Trump avoided accountability after the Mueller probe. He is likely to avoid accountability for the Ukraine squeeze. That leaves one last source of accountability — the election in November. This will be a test, not of the Republican Party, but of the republic."
People agree with Gerson that Trump will only get worse if not held accountable.
A massive voter turnout in 2020 is vital to make Trump a one term President. You can register to vote here.
For further discussion about American democracy and election interference, listen to season two of Oh Myyy Pod.
2020 Presidential Hopefuls Honored Their Mothers With Heartfelt Tributes For Mother's Day
Presidential candidates for the 2020 election dedicated some time on the campaign trail to thank their moms on the occasion of Mother's Day.
Many expressed their gratitude for their mothers' love, guidance, and the encouragement to help carve themselves a path to become future leaders.
ABC News spoke with some of the hopefuls running in the race.
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg thanked his mother, Jennifer Anne Montgomery, a former Notre Dame professor.
"All through my upbringing, my mother gave me the best possible mix of love, encouragement, attention and space. At the core of my current effort is the chance to live out the values that I was raised with, and so mom is part of this campaign in even more ways than she knows."
“At the core of my current effort is the chance to live out the values that I was raised with, and so mom is part o… https://t.co/x9FoQpn2WA— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557670742
Andrew Yang showed it is never too late to express gratitude.
He thanked his mother Nancy Yang, who is an immigrant from Taiwan and moved to the United States in the 1960s, with her husband Kei Hsiung Yang.
"Thank you, mom, for being there for me every day even when it was a pain and I was not grateful. I'm grateful now. I love you very much. Happy Mother's Day,"
"Thank you, mom, for being there for me every day even when it was a pain and I was not grateful. I’m grateful now.… https://t.co/gGY3TC5fBy— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557670802
A decade after Senator Kamala Harris's mother Shyamala Gopalan passed away, Harris remains eternally grateful for her Indian immigrant mother, who instilled in her the courage to act instead of complaining.
"She was smart and tough and fierce and protective. She was generous, loyal and funny. She had only two goals in life: to raise her two daughters and to end breast cancer."
"She was smart and tough and fierce and protective. She was generous, loyal and funny. She had only two goals in li… https://t.co/EperMH1WSh— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557670885
Senator Kristin Gillibrand's mother, Polly Edwina Rutnik, is her fiercest ally and gave her unwavering support to seek a higher office.
"She was the only one who believed I could win my first race and she taught me how to believe in myself. I would not be where I am today without her love and support."
"She was the only one who believed I could win my first race and she taught me how to believe in myself. I would no… https://t.co/8dU4x9LxZu— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557670958
Rep. Tim Ryan was only seven years old when his parents divorced, but that didn't stop his mother, Rochelle Maria Rizzi, from successfully raising her son as a single mother.
"My mom always believed in me, and for a kid that is everything."
"My mom always believed in me, and for a kid that is everything," Rep. Tim Ryan says about his mother Rochelle… https://t.co/00BRhA5vRd— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671011
Senator Cory Booker said his mother, Carolyn Rose, once told him that "service is the rent you pay for living," and that powerful mantra has become an inspiration for him to pursue a political career as a way to work to pay it forward.
"I can always count on her to keep me grounded while also inspiring and pushing me to reach higher no matter what the obstacles are."
"I can always count on her to keep me grounded while also inspiring and pushing me to reach higher no matter what t… https://t.co/hmSEmFemps— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671084
Rep. Seth Moulton said of his mother, Lynn Alice, who was a secretary:
"I feel lucky every day to have a mother who is so devoted to my brother, sister and me, but especially on Mother's Day. Here's to you mom!"
"I feel lucky every day to have a mother who is so devoted to my brother, sister and me, but especially on Mother’s… https://t.co/hDG9YjpGAD— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671180
Republican politician and former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld's mother Mary Nichols Weld was a descendant of William Floyd, who was a signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Weld plans to primary against President Trump for the Republican nomination.
Weld's tribute to his mother is humble in nature.
"This is me and my mother having a snack at camp, nothing but the best: Ritz crackers and Hellman's mayo ... she read me 'Wind in the Willows' and 'Old Mother West Wind,' both of which I read every page of to all my children."
"This is me and my mother having a snack at camp, nothing but the best: Ritz crackers and Hellman’s mayo ... she re… https://t.co/0iKpUnbyfw— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671300
Joe Biden said of his late mother, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan:
"My mom was an incredible woman, and I miss her. She would always tell us that 'courage is the greatest virtue because without courage you cannot love with abandon.' She lived her life that way, loving us with abandon."
"My mom was an incredible woman, and I miss her. She would always tell us that 'courage is the greatest virtue, bec… https://t.co/D4fKwv1UBi— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671348
Democratic candidate Wayne Messam shared some lessons he learned from his mother, Delsey.
"She encouraged me to be a positive person, dream big and never be afraid to do what others aren't willing to do for the benefit of others."
Mayor Wayne Messam on the lessons learned from his mom Delsey: "She encouraged me to be a positive person, dream bi… https://t.co/G0Gkk9wavQ— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671409
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said of her mom Carol:
"My mom is truly amazing — a teacher, entrepreneur, wife and mother to 5 children — she has inspired me throughout my life through her example of strength, patience, kindness, courage, integrity and unconditional love."
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on her mom Carol: "My mom is truly amazing — a teacher, entrepreneur, wife and mother to 5 child… https://t.co/Np1pDDu7kl— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671511
Texan candidate Beto O'Rourke called his mother Melissa a "great role model" for her kindness towards others.
"I really lucked out by having a mom who truly loves her family unconditionally, who encourages us and who is a great role model that inspires me every day with her kindness and the generosity she shows to everyone."
Beto O'Rourke on his mom Melissa: "I really lucked out by having a mom who truly loves her family unconditionally,… https://t.co/WruDU7V5yC— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671605
Marianne Willamson paid tribute to her mother, Sophie Ann.
"I didn't realize when I was growing up how lucky I was to have such good and loving parents, but I realize it now."
Marianne Willamson on remembering her mom Sophie Ann: "I didn’t realize when I was growing up how lucky I was to ha… https://t.co/BMOysngqNS— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671647
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet's mother Susanne Klejman is a survivor of the Holocaust who's history inspired her son to pursue politics.
"She was able to provide her kids more chances than she ever had, instilling in [me] the belief that our job as Americans is to extend opportunity so others can rise."
Sen. Michael Bennet on his mom Susanne: " She was able to provide her kids more chances than she ever had, instilli… https://t.co/TyV64s3M6r— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671710
Julian Castro's mother Maria "Rosie" Castro was a political activist who helped establish Chicano political party La Raza Unida and inspired both Castro and his twin brother, Representative Joaquin Castro, to run for public service.
"My role model, my inspiration in public service and the best part is she's my mom."
Julian Castro on his mom Rosie: "My role model, my inspiration in public service and the best part is she's my mom… https://t.co/kdIP4ZqqaD— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671773
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper expressed his gratitude for his mother Anne Doughten.
"She taught me that we have an obligation to create joy and happiness in our lives. Thanks, mom, and to all moms, for showing us the way."
Former Gov. John Hickenlooper on how his mom Anne inspired him: "She taught me that we have an obligation to create… https://t.co/ptggvf23GR— ABC News Politics (@ABC News Politics) 1557671971
Mother's day proved that behind every great candidate is always a powerful woman.
Microsoft Just Unveiled Technology That Will Allow Voters To Track Their Ballots In The 2020 Election
Microsoft is taking a stand to support election security.
The software company announced it would release an open-source software development kit called ElectionGuard.
ElectionGuard uses encryption techniques to let voters know once their ballots are counted.
More importantly: The software will, according to NPR, "allow election officials and third parties to verify election results to make sure there was no interference with the results.
CEO @SatyaNadella announced #ElectionGuard onstage @MicrosoftBuild this morning. Here’s why this should matter to d… https://t.co/dnYBC7Tc0e— Microsoft On the Issues (@Microsoft On the Issues) 1557174759.0
Microsoft developed ElectionGuard with computer science company Galois. The software will be available free of charge for election technology vendors.
ElectionGuard would provide voters with a unique code that would not reveal who or what they did or didn't vote for. Voters could then use the code to "follow" their vote from the moment they cast it.
Speaking to NPR, Tom Burt, Microsoft's vice president of customer security and trust, said:
"It's very much like the cybersecurity version of a tamper-proof bottle. Tamper-proof bottles don't prevent any hack of the contents of the bottle, but it makes it makes it harder, and it definitely reveals when the tampering has occurred."
According to Joe Kiniry, a principal scientist at Galois says his company will use this software as part of an open-source voting system that is being designed thanks to a grant from the Department of Defense.
It's not a perfect system, he says, but it should serve as a model for private companies "to build off of":
"It gives the ability to double-check, even if a system is terribly written, even if it's hackable, it gets detected. It's not magic pixie dust. We need this plus unhackable systems."
The team at Galois is certainly thrilled.
Excited to be working on ElectionGuard for @free_and_fair in collaboration with @Microsoft. I've been running the p… https://t.co/kNkn2WfqYC— Joey Dodds (@Joey Dodds) 1557158639.0
Just announced at Microsoft Build 2019: #ElectionGuard, an end-to-end verifiable elections SDK project that @kiniry… https://t.co/2XFPiQU0Pp— Daniel M. Zimmerman (@Daniel M. Zimmerman) 1557158433.0
And here are some words from some partners:
Columbia World Projects will partner with @Microsoft to pilot ElectionGuard technology, a free open-source software… https://t.co/i24YvGVURn— Columbia University (@Columbia University) 1557157141.0
We are partnering with Microsoft to develop #ElectionGuard, a software development kit for secure, end-to-end verif… https://t.co/9iHGFnOwrr— Free & Fair (@Free & Fair) 1557158718.0
As announced today, DARPA is partnering w/ @Microsoft & @galois to build & evaluate a verifiably secure voting syst… https://t.co/3jpu1ZGAm8— DARPA (@DARPA) 1557169356.0
Joe Hall, the chief technologist at the Center for Democracy and Technology, says the technology would grant voters "the ability to track the ballot as it goes through the entire process":
"Similar to what voters have with packages, or pizza, it will say this is at this facility, it has been counted... This will help voters track their votes; it's going to build in this audibility that's sort of the holy grail. But it's not going to reach the smaller jurisdictions that don't have the money to upgrade or have older equipment."
The news comes just days after President Donald Trump said he discussed the "Russia hoax" in a phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Asked whether he told Putin not to meddle in the next U.S. election after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report found that "the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion," he only said:
""We didn't discuss that. We discussed five or six things. We went into great detail on various especially the nuclear––especially, maybe, Venezuela. We talked about North Korea at great length… we also discussed trade. We intend to do a lot of trade with Russia."
According to the Mueller report, the investigation "identified numerous links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign" and the Trump campaign "expected it would benefit" from Russian interference.
Microsoft's initiative is a welcome one considering the failure to address election interference in Washington.