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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 17 July 2018

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Wave of condemnation hits Trump after summit with Putin

WASHINGTON (AP) — "Bi- probe of Russia a "disaster."
zarre." ''Shameful." ''Dis- Asked if there was anything
graceful." he thinks Russia should take
That's the swift and sweep- responsibility for, Trump
ing condemnation direct- said, "We're all to blame."
ed at President Donald McCain called the summit
Trump on Monday after he a "tragic mistake."
sided with Russian President Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.,
Vladimir Putin during a stun- the daughter of former Vice
ning appearance in Helsin- President Dick Cheney,
ki — and that's just from the said she is "deeply troubled"
Republicans. by Trump's defense of Putin
Lawmakers in both major against U.S. intelligence
parties and former intelli- agencies "and his sugges-
gence officials appeared tion of moral equivalence"
shocked, dismayed and between the two countries.
uneasy with Trump's sug- Even Graham, a sometime
gestion that he believes Trump ally, called the sum-
Putin's denial of interfering mit a "missed opportunity
in the 2016 elections. It was by President Trump to firmly
a remarkable break with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticizes President Donald Trump's performance hold Russia accountable
U.S. intelligence officials during his side-by-side news conference with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, as he speaks to for 2016 meddling and de-
and the Justice Depart- reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, July 16, 2018. liver a strong warning re-
ment. And just as alarming Associated Press garding future elections."
for some, Trump also put While some GOP lawmak-
the two countries on the played by old KGB hands." ident and become a stron- popular among GOP vot- ers were less strident in their
same footing when casting House Speaker Paul Ryan ger legislative check on the ers back home. But Trump's criticism of Trump, their dis-
blame for their strained re- weighed in to say there's executive branch. hold on the GOP is being comfort was clear.
lations. "no question" that Russia Sen. Chuck Schumer, D- put to the test by his willing- Off Capitol Hill, former intel-
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., interfered in the 2016 presi- N.Y., the minority leader, ness to align with Putin, a ligence chiefs who served
called it "one of the most dential election and "no says never in the history of leader whom Republicans under President Barack
disgraceful performances moral equivalence" be- the country has an Ameri- routinely describe as an en- Obama were scathing in
by an American president tween the U.S. and Russia. can president supported emy of the United States. their criticism. John Bren-
in memory." "The president must appre- an adversary the way Senate Majority Leader nan, who served as CIA di-
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., ciate that Russia is not our Trump sided with Putin. He Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., rector, called Trump's com-
called it "bizarre." Sen. ally," Ryan, R-Wis., said in a challenged Republicans to repeated his earlier assess- ments "treasonous."
Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., called it statement. Russia, he said, move beyond words and ment that the Russians are "Donald Trump's press con-
"shameful." And Sen. Lind- "remains hostile to our most confront the president di- "not our friends." He said he ference performance in
sey Graham, R-S.C., tweet- basic values and ideals." rectly by increasing sanc- has "complete confidence Helsinki rises to & exceeds
ed that it was a "bad day Much of the Republican re- tions on Russia and request- in our intelligence commu- the threshold of 'high crimes
for the US." buke came from lawmak- ing testimony about the nity and the findings." & misdemeanors.' It was
"This was a very good day ers who have been willing summit from Trump admin- The second-ranking Re- nothing short of treason-
for President Putin," said to openly criticize the presi- istration officials, among publican, Sen. John Cornyn ous. Not only were Trump's
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., dent, a group that remains other things. of Texas, said Trump has a comments imbecilic, he
the chairman of the For- a minority in the GOP. "We need our Republican "delicate task" in dealing is wholly in the pocket of
eign Relations Committee. Many top Republicans re- colleagues to stand up for with Putin, but added that Putin. Republican Patriots:
He said Trump's refusal to mained on the sidelines af- the good of this country," he supports the intelligence Where are you???" Bren-
condemn Russian interfer- ter the Justice Department he said. community's assessment of nan tweeted.
ence in the 2016 election on Friday indicted 12 Rus- And House Minority Leader election meddling. James Clapper, who was
makes the U.S. "look like a sian intelligence officials for Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Monday's firestorm erupted director of national intelli-
pushover." election-related hacking. Trump's weakness in front of when Trump, standing side gence under Obama, de-
Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, But several Republicans Putin wasn't just "embarrass- by side with Putin in Helsinki, scribed Trump's comments
said he's seen Russian intel- who don't typically buck ing" but also "proves that refused to publicly con- as "very, very disturbing."
ligence manipulate many the president raised con- the Russians have some- demn — or say he believes "On the world stage in
people in his earlier career cerns, shocked by Mon- thing on the President, per- — the U.S. assessment that front of the entire globe
as a CIA officer. But, he day's performance. sonally, financially or politi- Russia interfered in the 2016 the president of the United
tweeted, "I never would Democrats pleaded with cally." election. Instead, he direct- States essentially capitulat-
have thought that the US their GOP colleagues who Republicans have been ed his ire at Democrats and ed and seems intimidated
President would become have majority control of hesitant to fully confront U.S. officials, calling special by Vladimir Putin," Clapper
one of the ones getting Congress to rein in the pres- a president who remains counsel Robert Mueller's told CNN.q