Fiona Hill: Putin has US ‘exactly where he wants us’

Fiona Hill, the former White House adviser on Russia who testified before the House Intelligence Committee during the presidential impeachment hearings, said Russian President Vladimir Putin has the U.S. “exactly where he wants us.”

“Putin, sadly, has got all of our political class, every single one of us, including the media, exactly where he wants us,” Hill said during a CBS “60 minutes” interview.

“Putin, sadly, has got all of our political class, every single one of us, including the media, exactly where he wants us.” Fiona Hill speaks to Lesley Stahl in her first interview since the impeachment inquiry. Watch tomorrow on 60 Minutes. https://t.co/VioR1BrQ7Z pic.twitter.com/LK7Q2mZjEZ

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) March 7, 2020

Hill in the interview echoed sentiments she made during her congressional testimony, stating that the Russian government is working to deepen partisan divides and cause Americans to cast doubt in government systems.

“He’s got us feeling vulnerable, he’s got us feeling on edge, and he’s got us questioning the legitimacy of our own systems,” she said. “The Russians did not invent partisan divides, the Russians didn’t invent racism in the United States, but the Russians understand a lot of those divisions, and they understand how to exploit them.”

When asked if she believes the U.S. is in another Cold War, she responded no because “there is no ideological struggle.” During the Cold War, the U.S. was combating communist ideology around the world, but now Russia is a capitalist state, much like the U.S. 

“In the Cold War, there were two systems against each other,” she added. “In a sense, we’re in the same system. We’re competitors.”

Hill’s full interview will air Sunday, March 8, on CBS.