Staring straight into the camera, the New York Times reported, said if Russia could find the missing emails they would be "rewarded mightily by our press."
- TRUMP: Does he know Russia's Putin?
- FACT CHECK: Were there American flags at the DNC?
The explosive remark left many saying Trump was joking, while others said his comments could be a violation of the law. Trump could have actively violated the Espionage Act on one hand or encouraged a criminal action against Hillary Clinton.
Former NSA and CIA chief Michael Hayden, who led both agencies under George W. Bush, was outraged by the remark.
"Either he wanted Russian security services to capture the related State Department emails, which is problematic," Hayden told BuzzFeed News. "Or he wanted the Russian government to capture the private emails of a person protected by the Fourth Amendment to the US constitution, which is equally problematic. So I just find it to be an incredibly stunning commentary."
Reaction to Trump's statement was swift:
About the Author