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Saturday 28 July 2018

Trump and Putin’s RSVP’s: Yes, for sure, if, if if. ...

By MATTHEW LEE warnings from intelligence
AP Diplomatic Writer officials that Russia is again
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rare- intent on interfering in the
ly has an RSVP been so U.S. democratic process.
complicated. The White House released
President Donald Trump is a statement saying Trump
open to visiting Moscow “made it clear that his Ad-
— if he gets a formal invi- ministration will not tolerate
tation from Vladimir Putin, foreign interference in our
the White House said Fri- elections from any nation
day. Russian President Putin state or other malicious ac-
said he’s game for a trip to tors.”
Washington — but his an- President Donald Trump, right, delivers remarks on the economy from the South Lawn of the Republican lawmakers
swer came only after Trump White House, Friday, July 27, 2018, in Washington; and in this photo taken on Monday, July 16, have made it clear they
retracted his invitation for a 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, gestures while speaking at the Presidential Palace in are not eager to see Putin,
fall sit-down. Helsinki, Finland. who intelligence officials
The awkward back and Associated Press say was aware of the 2016
forth is the latest round of lukewarm and did not im- tary Sarah Huckabee Sand- allegations in an anti-Trump interference, just weeks be-
summit drama flowing from mediately accept. ers responded that Trump dossier compiled by a for- fore Election Day 2018.
the two leaders’ controver- Then National Security “looks forward to having mer British spy — was likely Putin “will not be welcome”
sial first meeting in Helsinki Adviser John Bolton said President Putin to Wash- to raise eyebrows and at the Capitol, Senate Ma-
this month. It underscores Wednesday that plans for a ington after the first of the alarm on Capitol Hill. jority Leader Mitch McCon-
Trump’s eagerness to forge fall visit would be delayed year, and he is open to vis- Just two days earlier, law- nell told reporters.
a warmer relationship with until 2019. He cited special iting Moscow upon receiv- makers from both political House Speaker Paul Ryan
Putin, though the Russian counsel Robert Mueller’s ing a reciprocal formal invi- parties unsuccessfully de- said such invitations are re-
does not appear to share investigation into Russian tation.” manded details of the Hel- served “for allies.”
the urgency and Trump’s election meddling as the But it’s just talk at this point. sinki meeting from Secre- The Republican leaders ap-
allies in Washington are reason, using Trump’s fa- It’s part of “a power game tary of State Mike Pompeo, pear to be increasingly rely-
watching with frustration. vorite term for the probe: between Putin and Trump,” who stonewalled nearly all ing on public signals, rather
Trump’s tentative yes to a “witch hunt.” said Dr. Alina Polyakova those inquiries at a conten- than private phone calls or
Moscow trip comes even But the possibility of a Trump of the Brookings Institution. tious hearing by maintain- Oval Office chats, to catch
as lawmakers are still push- trip to Moscow emerged She said the Kremlin basi- ing that the president has the White House’s attention
ing for details about what Friday after Putin said he cally drove the entire pro- a right to private conversa- and communicate with
he and Putin discussed was ready to invite Trump cess in Helsinki, and “we’re tions. Since Helsinki, Trump Trump — especially when
in Helsinki. The president — or to visit Washington if seeing that again now.” has tried to walk back at they are at odds with the
has been widely criticized conditions are right. “I un- Trump is hardly in a strong least some of his com- president’s approach or
for failing to publicly de- derstand very well what position because “the Hel- ments. policies.
nounce Russia’s interfer- President Trump said: He sinki summit was such a fias- And Pompeo told the Sen- Ryan has said he did not
ence in the 2016 U.S. elec- has the wish to conduct fur- co,” said James Goldgeier ate Foreign Relations Com- speak to the president in the
tion and appearing to ac- ther meetings,” Putin said of the Council on Foreign mittee that despite Trump’s days after the Helsinki sum-
cept Putin’s denials of such while traveling in Johannes- Relations. public statements that alle- mit. Moscow has portrayed
activity. burg. “I am ready for this. A Putin visit to Washington gations of Russian interfer- its tensions with Washington
Trump’s response to the We are ready to invite Presi- between now and Janu- ence are “a hoax” he ac- as a result of Trump being
criticism — an abruptly an- dent Trump to Moscow. By ary “could have a lot of cepts that Russia did med- hobbled by domestic po-
nounced invitation for a the way, he has such an poor optics,” he said, and dle in the 2016 election. litical disputes and a wide-
second meeting in Wash- invitation, I told him of this. “it’s really hard to see the Trump met Friday with his spread “Russophobia” per-
ington in the fall — got an I am prepared to go to upside” of a Trump trip to national security team to petrated by holdovers from
ice-cold reception from Washington, but, I repeat, if Moscow. discuss threats to the 2018 the Obama years - echo-
Republicans in Congress the appropriate conditions The spectacle of Trump in congressional midterm ing Trump’s penchant to
facing tough elections in for work are created.” the Russian capital — the elections, the first such ses- blame his predecessor for
November. Moscow was White House press secre- site of unproven salacious sion he has convened amid many problems.q
Mueller plans to call 35 witnesses in Manafort trial

WASHINGTON (AP) — Spe- year and agreed to coop- a political consultant and
cial counsel Robert Muel- erate with investigators. strategist on Bernie Sand-
ler’s office said Friday it Prosecutors on Mueller’s ers’ campaign — but also
plans to call 35 witnesses in team filed the witness list Fri- a participant in Manafort’s
the upcoming trial of Presi- day in federal court in Alex- Ukrainian political work,
dent Donald Trump’s for- andria, Virginia. Manafort’s helping refurbish the im-
mer campaign chairman. trial begins there Tuesday age of Ukraine’s disgraced
The witnesses in the finan- with jury selection. former president Viktor Ya-
cial crimes case of Paul Manafort is accused of nukovych. Prosecutors also
Manafort include former routing millions of dollars in plan to call Philip Ayliff, a
accountants, assistants proceeds from Ukrainian longtime personal accoun-

In this March 8, 2018, file photo, Paul Manafort, left, President and even friends. Among political consulting work tant for Manafort, and
Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, walks with this wife them is Rick Gates, a for- into offshore accounts and Wayne Holland, a real es-
Kathleen Manafort, as they arrive at the Alexandria Federal mer Manafort deputy who using the money to fund tate agent in Northern Vir-
Courthouse in Alexandria, Va. pleaded guilty in Mueller’s a lavish lifestyle. Other wit- ginia and a personal friend
Associated Press investigation earlier this nesses include Tad Devine, of Manafort.q