National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden says he's not concerned Russia will return him to the U.S. to face prosecution now that Donald Trump has been elected president — a fete he called "a dark moment in our nation's history."
In a webchat hosted Thursday by private Dutch search engine StartPage and posted on YouTube, Snowden said while he'd be "crazy to dismiss" Trump hammering out a deal with Putin leading to his extradition, he remains unworried about the possibility.
"If I was worried about safety, if the security and the future of myself was all that I cared about, I would still be in Hawaii," Snowden said, referring to his 2013 cut-and-run from the U.S. to Russia after disclosing secrets about how the NSA monitors phone calls and emails of Americans.
"While I can't predict what the future looks like, I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, I can be comfortable with the way I've lived to today," continued Snowden, a fugitive from justice who is charged with violations of the U.S. Espionage Act.
"And no matter what happens, if there's a drone strike or I slip and fall down the stairs, that's something that won't change. As long as we do our best to live in accordance with our values, we don't have to worry about what happens tomorrow."
Trump, who has appeared chummy with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent months, has had no sympathy for Snowden in the past.
In a 2014 tweet, the billionaire real-estate tycoon declared:
But, "I don't worry about it … It would be crazy to dismiss the idea of this guy who presents himself as a big deal maker [Trump] as trying to make a deal," Snowden said during the webchat.
"The president of Russia has previously said on camera that the people of Russia consider me a human rights defender.
"And regardless of the position we have on Russian politics, which obviously have a lot of problems, they said Russia is not a country that extradites human rights defenders."
Of Trump's election, he added: "This is a dark moment in our nation's history, but it is not the end of history. And if we work together we can build something better, and we can enjoy a more free and a more liberal society that benefits everyone.
"As long as we do our best to live in accordance with our values, we don't have to worry about what happens tomorrow, because today is enough."
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