Trump finally rejects Russian demand to question US officials

Washington – Donald Trump on Thursday rejected Putin's request to allow Russian justice to interrogate several Americans, including an ex-ambbadador in Moscow, after having left doubt behind and angered the political clbad. in Washington.
  

" This is a proposal that was made in all sincerity by President Putin, but President Trump does not agree ," said the White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders.

At the controversial press conference of the two leaders in Helsinki on Monday, the Russian president proposed to allow Washington to interrogate, in Russia, the 12 Russian intelligence agents recently indicted in the United States for interference in the presidential election.

But to the " condition " of a " reciprocity ": Moscow asked in return for an interrogation of American officials suspected by Russia " d 'illegal activities ', notably in the case involving the Kremlin's critical British investor William Browder, sentenced in absentia by the Russian courts for tax evasion.

The American president then evoked an " interesting idea " and an " incredible proposal ". The White House's lack of refusal, which left room for doubt by saying Wednesday that Donald Trump was studying the issue, has fueled the already fierce controversy in Washington over the attitude of the Republican president, accused of demonstrating " weakness " with respect to an opponent of the United States.

– " Warning " of the Congress –

Sign of a certain cacophony within the government, the US State Department had on its side considered " absolutely absurd "the Russian request.

Eventually, the US presidency said Thursday rather hope that Vladimir Putin will leave " the 12 identified Russians coming to the United States to prove their innocence or guilt ".

The case escalated when the Russian judiciary said on Tuesday it wanted to interrogate several Americans, including former US ambbadador to Moscow (2012-2014) Michael McFaul, appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama.

Michael McFaul urged the Trump administration on social media and in the media, and an intense mobilization developed under the keyword #ProtectMcFaul.

Former Democratic Secretary of State John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright supported him, as did some Republicans, including Senator Marco Rubio.

" The administration must make clear, unequivocally, that it will never take such an idea into consideration, even in a million years." "End point." That does not even deserve half a second of Dangerous ", tweeted John Kerry.

" Putin officials must not be allowed under any circumstances to come to the United States and + poll Americans + from their list ", Marco Rubio added, calling on the White House to exclude it " publicly ".

To put pressure on Donald Trump, the Senate voted on Thursday a resolution opposing any possible decision of the administration allowing the Russian authorities to question US officials. The vote, after the announcement of the White House, is without appeal: 98 senators from all sides supported the text unanimously, with no vote against.

The Leader of the Democratic Opposition in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, felt it was a " warning ": " Congress will never allow such a thing . "