White House officials feared that retaliating before the election could have led Russia to launch a major cyber attack on the United States that would have disrupted the banking system, power grid or internet service.
Baltais nams esot bažījies, ka atbilde pirms ASV prezidenta vēlēšanām varētu izraisīt plašu Krievijas kiberuzbrukumu ASV, traucējot banku sistēmas darbību, elektroapgādi un interneta pakalpojumus.