President Obama on Tuesday raised the possibility that Russians hacked the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in order to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

“Anything's possible,” Obama said in an interview with NBC News.

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Obama said Russian President Vladimir Putin might prefer Republican nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails Trump urges North Korea to denuclearize ahead of summit Venezuela's Maduro says he fears 'bad' people around Trump MORE over his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails County GOP in Minnesota shares image comparing Sanders to Hitler Holder: 'Time to make the Electoral College a vestige of the past' MORE, because the business magnate has “repeatedly expressed admiration” for the Russian leader in the past.

“I am basing this on what Mr. Trump himself has said,” the president said. “And I think that — Trump's gotten pretty favorable coverage — back in Russia.”

The president’s comments add considerable heft to mounting evidence that Russian hackers were behind the DNC hack.

Obama said that the FBI is still investigating the origin of the hack, but he acknowledged that “experts have attributed this to the Russians.”

“What we do know is is that the Russians hack our systems. Not just government systems, but private systems. But — you know, what the motives were in terms of the leaks, all that — I can't say directly.”

The hack exposed reams of emails sent by party staffers, some of which showed them apparently seeking to undermine the campaign of Clinton’s primary opponent, Bernie Sanders Bernard (Bernie) SandersSenate Dems seek to turn tables on GOP in climate change fight Bernie Sanders Town Hall finishes third in cable news race, draws 1.4 million viewers Woman to undecided Biden: 'Just say yes' to 2020 bid MORE.

Several top Democrats have suggested that Russia hacked the Democrats in an effort to sow discord in their ranks and thereby boost Trump’s campaign.