'Not a joke -- it's exactly what happened': CNN's Jake Tapper explains how new indictments destroy Trump's defense

The indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officers for hacking American political organizations while interfering with the 2016 presidential campaign has destroyed President Donald Trump's talking points against special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

"Major announcement by the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, a grand jury here in Washington, D.C. has just indicted 12 Russian nationals -- all members of the GRU, the Russian military intelligence agency -- for interfering in and hacking the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton," Wolf Blitzer reported.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper reported on the credibility of Trump defenders following the indictments.

"You might remember throughout the campaign -- and indeed up until this very day -- President Trump has referred to the Russia investigation as a witch hunt, and he's cast doubt and said it's a joke, in fact, at one point, the idea that the Russians had hacked the Democratic National Committee or Hillary Clinton's campaign.

"According to his own Justice Department, it's not a joke, it's what happened exactly,"

"It is a stunning set of indictments and clearly indicates that a lot of what the president and his administration have said about the hacks on Hillary Clinton's campaign and the DNC simply was not true," Tapper concluded.

"That's right, Jake," CNN justice correspondent Evan Pérez agreed.

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