United States: Donald Trump admits Russia's interference in US elections

US President Donald Trump admitted after harsh criticism of his summit statements between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia interfered in the 2016 US elections. "I accept the conclusion of our Intelligence agencies that Russia's interference in the 2016 elections has taken place, "he said Tuesday at the White House in Washington. Trump immediately said, "There may have been other people, there are many people there." He did not give details about it.

Trump made it clear that he was misinterpreted at Putin's press conference the day before – and meant exactly the opposite of what was generally understood. He meant that he saw no reason "why should not be Russia", which was behind the hacker attacks during the 2016 US election campaign – but that "not" was accidentally abandoned.

He used the English "would" instead of "would not," Trump said. He describes himself as someone who did not accidentally use double negation.

In fact, at its meeting in Helsinki, Trump claimed that he did not believe his own secret service as much as Russian President Putin. There had been strong criticism from the Democrats and his own party. US Republican President Paul Ryan expressed his anger and tightened Tuesday's criticism: "Let's be very clear so that everyone knows that Russia has been ingested in our elections."

Video at the top of Trump Putin: "Melania, take this!"

Trump's verbal U-turn is a surprise. At a press conference with Putin in Helsinki, he described the Kremlin leader's denial of electoral manipulation as "extremely strong and powerful". With this statement, Trump was clearly against the badessment of his own intelligence and investigation authorities, who consider a proven Russian interference. A so-called grand jury had recently lodged a complaint against twelve members of the Russian military intelligence service. Russia rejects the allegations.

Trump also blamed poor relations with Moscow on Monday for his own Justice Department investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 US elections. Investigations in the Russian case he has again called a "witch hunt" and a "shame."

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There is much to suggest that Trump now to the new explanation forced, after that he was strongly attacked by political confidants and otherwise friendly media. But on Tuesday, he also said that the interference had no influence on the outcome of the presidential election, there had been no collusion. Trump agreed that the government would do anything to prevent interference in the mid-term elections to the US Congress in November.

The Leader of the Opposition in the US Senate, Democrat Chuck Schumer, said Trump's new statements, "It's 24 hours late, and in the wrong place." If Trump can not tell Putin directly "that he is wrong and that we are right and that our intelligence services are right, it is ineffective and worse, another sign of weakness."