Comey: 'A foreign government used technical intrusion to try to shape the way we think'

Former FBI director gives evidence before the US Congress, claiming that Russia attempted to hack the recent US presidential elections

Former FBI director James Comey has stated in his evidence before the US Congress that a foreign government attempted to hack the US elections.

Speaking at a congressional hearing in which he is widely expected to claim that President Trump requested that he drop or weaken FBI investigations into purported illicit communications between key presidential staff and Russia, Comey stated that Russia had attempted to influence the recent US elections.

"We're talking about a foreign government, that using technical intrusion, and lots of other methods, tried to shape the way we think, we vote, we act. That is a big deal," claimed Comey.

"They want to undermine our credibility in the face of the world," he continued."

The Comey hearing is currently ongoing, and live updates are available here.

Many of the world's largest technology firms spoke out strongly against President Trump shortly after his election victory, but some later backtracked on their original statements.

Box CEO Aaron Levie described Trump as the "scariest person in America" in a tweet in 2016, but later said technology companies must begin "bridging the divide" between Silicon Valley and Washington in an interview with US network CNBC.

"Now, moving forward, we know that we must work constructively with D.C. and with the new administration on making sure that we have an economy and we have a tech sector and an innovation push that works for everybody," said Levie, who supported Democrat Hillary Clinton in the US presidential race.

Levie was restrained however compared to Matthew Harrigan, CEO of California-based software company PacketSled, who took to Twitter to threaten to threaten to assassinate Trump during the campaign. Harrigan's resignation was accepted by PackSled's board shortly after his outburst.