Summit in Helsinki: After Trump's performance, even Republicans talk about treason

E has already given several moments in the term of a year and a half of Donald Trump as President of the United States, which caused so much upheaval that they seemed to be a turnaround. But indignation was as complete as after Trump's joint press conference with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki – also on the Republican side.

George W. Bush's former husband in Moscow, William Burns, is considered a reserved diplomat who carefully chooses his words. But after the summit, he gave up all restraint. "I think this press conference was the most outspoken demonstration of an American president on the international scene that I've ever seen," Burns told CNN.

American report. At one point, he had almost taken an equidistant stance between Moscow and Washington, claiming that both parties were also responsible for the bad relations of recent years – as if he had had no annexation there. of the Crimea by Putin nor ongoing war in the country Eastern Ukraine, serious ongoing war crimes in Syria or allegations of manipulation of the US elections.

Putin's denial "very strong and powerful"

Questioned by a journalist who believes more – his secret services, which have ample evidence of Russian interventions in the US election campaign, or the denials of Putin – Trump's Is set up side of Moscow. Putin's denials were "very strong and powerful," Trump said. And there is also no reason to suspect Russia behind the attacks. America is being invaded by cyberattacks against its democratic institutions – and the president is taking sides with America's enemies.

Former Obama CIA chief John Brennan, who has long been one of Trump's greatest critics, went so far as to speak of high treason . That could be expected from Brennan, as well as many Democrats who pulled back against Trump on Monday. But even Eliot Cohen, a neo-conservative foreign minister of the Bush administration, took this word in his mouth.

"The word betrayal is strong, and we must use it cautiously," Cohen tweeted. "But this press conference took the President of the United States to these dark, black shores ." The hashtag #Virtors Summit (#TreasonSummit) was still in vogue on Twitter for hours – even after Trump left Finland

It does not happen often that a subordinate of the US president directly contradicts his boss on the open stage. That's exactly what intelligence director Dan Coats, former Bush ambbadador to Germany, did. The supervisor of the US intelligence services issued a statement in which he stated: "We have clearly badessed Russia's intervention in the 2016 elections and its ongoing and comprehensive efforts to undermine our democracy," said Coats . "And we will continue to provide unvarnished information and objectives to ensure our national security." Many wondered if Coats would have to resign in the face of Trump's attack on US services.

"I love and respect Ambbadador Dan Coats, our National Intelligence Director and Head of the Intelligence Community," wrote General James Stavridis, former Commander-in-Chief of NATO, "but I do not know how he could go to work tomorrow knowing that his boss does not give more importance to his badurances than to Vladimir Putin ."

The FBI finds its own answer

The FBI responds in its own way: Friday, the team of Special Investigator Robert Mueller Twelve members of the Russian military intelligence services accused of attacking the Democratic Party On Monday, another Russian woman was arrested for infiltrating US institutions on behalf of Moscow, including the NRA 's weapons lobby, who spent a lot more money for the Republican campaign and Trump in. 2016 than in previous editions. Republican party liticians, the criticism was sometimes very clear. House Speaker Paul Ryan, after Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, the third most powerful man in the state, have criticized Trump's statements. "There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia," Ryan said.

Senator John McCain described the press conference as "one of the most shameful acts of a president of the United States." ;history". No former president ever "humiliated himself if subjected to a tyrant". On Trump's favorite station, Fox News, many commentators were trying to understand Trump, but there were also sometimes violent critics.

Neil Cavuto, a moderator on Fox's economic channel, called Trump's performance "disgusting" and "just wrong". He tried to excuse Trump but at least with "jet lag and time change". Brit Hume, one of Fox's leading political commentators, tweeted, "Because Trump is unable to look beyond himself, he sees Russian election manipulation as a matter that concerns only himself. and the accusation of collusion. "It was striking that the criticism of those Republicans, who are no longer competing in the upcoming elections, proved particularly harsh because, unlike their colleagues, they do not believe it. Have more to consider the party base. "I think Putin is going to eat caviar for the first time," said Bob Corker, outgoing chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Even Trump supporters are changing sites

. Trump fan Newt Gingrich thought the president had gone too far this time. "President Trump needs to clarify his statements in Helsinki on our intelligence system and on Putin," said Gingrich, "it is the most serious mistake of his presidency and must be corrected immediately."

also felt compelled to rectify this and in a statement listed all the sins of Moscow in recent years. "The United States must remain on the strategic offensive against Russia and maintain its sanctions, rebuild its army, modernize our nuclear forces, strengthen our missile defense and send more weapons to our allies, and produce more of oil and gas "the only language for which Vladimir Putin does not need a translator. "

Criticism is as explosive and bipartisbad as it has ever been since the election of Trump." Trump's Intimate Enemy, James Comey, the FBI's Director He photographed, sums up this moment on Twitter: " It was the day where an American president abroad stood next to a bat refused to stand at his country. The patriots must now stand up and reject the behavior of this president. "

Trump himself later took the phone and defended himself against domestic criticism on Twitter:" The two largest nuclear powers in the world can not cope with the past. On the contrary, we must deal with each other now. It is a better future! "

The Trump Presidency is a long-standing agony of power violations, constant lies, failures against democratic pillars such as the press, personal attacks on critics and a rapid erosion of the US position in the world

Until now, Teflon-Trump was still able to clear criticism because the majority of Republicans were coughing, so it's entirely possible that he'll succeed again this time, when The excitement calmed after a few days and is being replaced by new scandals and scandals, yet for many observers, Trump's twilight seems to have grown more than ever in the last year and a half.