Trump-Putin meeting: Trump says he agrees US intelligence on Russia's interference in the 2016 election following the outcry sparked by the comments from Helsinki



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Seeking to appease growing criticism after the Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Trump said on Tuesday that he accepted the US intelligence community's conclusion that Russia would seek to influence the elections of 2016.

Russia's interference in the 2016 elections took place. Could be other people too. Many people there. "Trump said at a meeting with Republican congressional members at the White House." Trump also said that he had misrepresented at the joint press conference with Putin on Monday and that he meant that he did not have any news. reason to doubt that Russia interfered in the election.

"So you can put that in, and I think that probably clarifies things," he told reporters. for a negative coverage of Monday's press conference and said that his meeting with Putin was "even better" than a meeting with NATO allies the previous week.

"While I had a big meeting with NATO, had an even better meeting with Vladimir Putin of Russia," wrote Trump, referring to his efforts to increase spending on defense of American allies. "Unfortunately, it's not reported that way – the fake news goes crazy!"

During a remarkable 46-minute joint press conference at the end of Monday's summit in Helsinki, Trump will not dispute Putin's claim that his government has not played any role in the attempt to sabotage the US elections in 2016, despite the indictment on Friday of 12 Russian intelligence officers, following the announcement. Special Advisor Robert S. Mueller III.

Trump's performance provoked a wave of condemnation, including from many members of his own party. On Tuesday, a growing number of Republicans called for swift action to embrace the findings of the US intelligence community on Russian interference and mitigate the damage of Helsinki.

Questioned by reporters outside the Senate, Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Did not mention Trump by name but sought to reassure allies in Europe that the United States stood with them and warned that Russian interference would not happen again.

"We believe that the European countries are our friends and the Russians are not – they have demonstrated this in all the obvious ways in recent years with the annexation of the Crimea, the invasion of East of Ukraine, not to mention the indisputable proof that they have tried to have an impact on the 2016 elections ". On Trump's remarks in Helsinki, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) Also declined to criticize the president on Tuesday, focusing his response on Russia and Putin.

"Let me be really clear" a press conference. "We support our NATO allies and all countries facing Russian aggression."

The speaker, who issued a statement Monday supporting the findings of the US intelligence community, reiterated that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

Ryan, however, declined to say he was in agreement with the Republicans who called Trump to clarify his comments.

On morning television shows and social media, several Trump supporters urged Trump to explain to the nation why he seemed to side with Putin instead of the US intelligence community, which concluded that Russia was responsible.

"He has to talk about it, and he has to reverse the course immediately" Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci said during an appearance on CNN. "The optics of this situation is a disaster … if it does not back down, it will eventually lose people who want to support it."

Scaramucci, who always says he is faithful to Trump, recommended that the president snuggle against "his most intelligent and loyal helpers" Trump could do that while continuing to insist that there was no collusion between the Russians and his campaign, said Scaramucci. In a speech in the Senate, Senate minority leader Charles E. Schumer (DN.Y.) called on Republican House leaders to hold hearings on what happened in Helsinki

]. "Our Republican colleagues can not just" tsk-tsk-tsk "," Schumer said. "They need to act."

Schumer said that he was particularly concerned about what Trump could have said to Putin during a two-hour in camera meeting between the two where only their performers were present.

Americans deserve to know what happened. Our security is threatened, "said Schumer

In a letter to colleagues, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Leader of the Minority, highlighted several actions taken by the party to attract attention on Trump's meeting with Putin: President Trump huddled in front of President Putin and delivered himself to a dangerous, shameful and prejudicial exhibition of his "Blame America First" policy, did she writes: "His total weakness in the presence of Putin proves that the Russians have something about the president, personally, financially or politically."

Pelosi said the Democrats would present a resolution based on Ryan's statement Monday backing the conclusions American intelligence and would look to

The Democratic National Committee, meanwhile, sought to capitalize on the episode by sending a fundraising solicitation requesting donations p To help elect the Democrats "who will hold this rash leader accountable." [19659029] Around 9:00 am Tuesday, Trump tweeted on the summit for the first time since returning to Washington the night before. He thanked Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), One of the few prominent Republicans who defended his performance at Monday's press conference.

Earlier in the morning, Paul defended Trump on CBS, saying that he was at the center of the discussions. a "partisan inquiry" about Russia and is "sensitive to that".

Other Republicans did not forgive.

"It was a very bad day for the President," Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill) said Tuesday morning on CNN. "I think President Trump has been wrong yesterday in an important way, and I think it was a very embarrassing press conference."

Kinzinger said that Trump needed to talk to the nation about what had happened. "You have to go out today and clarify that," he said.

Kinzinger's plea echoes former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, a Republican who defends Trump in general

our intelligence system and Putin, "tweeted Gingrich Monday." C & # 39; is the most serious mistake of his presidency and must be corrected – immediately. "

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), whom Trump recently approved for reelection, was asked Tuesday at An appearance on Fox & Friends "Fox & Friends" he thought Trump should clarify his comments at the press conference.The President may have shed some light on the progress made during the session in camera, "said Gaetz, referring to Monday's meeting between Trump and Putin.

In a tweet earlier on Tuesday, Trump has NATO allies at last week's summit in Brussels to reach their defense spending targets – a move he said was "bad" for Russia. "

At a press conference after the NATO summit last week, the president claimed that the members of the alliance had agreed to "substantially increase their commitment. . . However, other NATO leaders have challenged Trump's claims, saying that they simply agreed to honor previous commitments.

While Trump called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's rally of positive, several American allies were offended by his abrupt manner. At the beginning of the summit, Trump asserted that an agreement on a gas pipeline had left Germany "totally controlled" and "captivated Russia" as he was launching new charges on defense spending " Offenders "from her allies

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