US accuses Russia of meddling in polls

US Defense Secretary James Mattis has said that Russian operatives attempted to interfere in the 2018 midterm elections. 

Speaking at a defense forum in California, the US Defence Secretary said that American intelligence is seeing “a continued effort” by Russia to interfere in American elections, after they meddled in the 2016 presidential election. 

Asked if U.S.-Russian ties had become more strained since he took over the Pentagon last year after Trump became president, Mattis said, “There’s no doubt the relationship has worsened.”

The remarks by Mattis came a day after US President Donald Trump held informal talks with Putin on the sidelines of the Group of 20 industrialized nations meeting in Argentina. 

Trump had scrapped a more formal meeting with Putin, citing Russia’s treatment of Ukraine.