Donald Trump strongly criticized after his meeting with Putin, even in his camp
During his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday, Donald Trump refused to condemn Moscow for its interference in the US presidential campaign.
Donald Trump's attitude at the Helsinki summit arouses amazement and indignation. The President of the United States stubbornly refused to condemn Moscow for the strong suspicions of interference in the American presidential campaign on Monday. He opted for a resolutely conciliatory tone with Vladimir Putin.
"President Putin has just said that it was not Russia (...) And I do not see why it would be," launched the 45th President of the United States, suggesting that he was more sensitive to denials of the Russian president than the unanimous conclusions of the American intelligence agencies.
"Sad day for America"
Donald Trump's positioning created an outcry within a political class which was generally hostile towards Moscow. Especially since the outcome of the summit was scrutinized, so much hovered over the Republican billionaire the suspicion of wanting to be reconciled at all costs with the Russian president, to materialize an electoral promise which until then stumbled on suspicions of collusion between his campaign team and the Kremlin.
Republican leader in Congress Paul Ryan urges Trump to realize that "Russia is not our ally." "There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia which remains hostile to our ideals and our fundamental values," he added.
For Senator Bob Corker, Vladimir Poutine emerged "largely a winner" from this interview with the American president. "He must probably be tasting caviar at the moment," asserted the Republican, regularly critical of the American president.
In the same vein, Senator John McCain called the Helsinki summit a "tragic mistake". He sees this press conference as “one of the worst moments in the history of the American presidency”.
"Thoughtless, dangerous and weak"
In the entire history of our country, Americans have never seen a president of the United States support an American adversary the way @realDonaldTrump has supported President Putin.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 16, 2018
The leader of the Democratic opposition in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, accused him of the president of the first world power of being “reckless, dangerous and weak” against his Russian counterpart. He wondered on Twitter: "What can push Donald Trump to put the interests of Russia above those of the United States?" ".
And to deplore: “In the whole history of our country, the Americans had never seen a president of the United States supporting an adversary of America like Donald Trump has just supported President Putin. "
Nancy Pelosi, leader of the Democratic opposition in the House of Representatives, spoke of "a sad day for America".
As for the former CIA boss John Brennan, in office under the Democratic presidency of Barack Obama, he considered that Donald Trump's “performance” in Helsinki was “nothing less than an act of treason” .
Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of “high crimes & misdemeanors.” It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) July 16, 2018
Trump denigrates the Washington investigation
The upheaval comes as the investigation in Washington into Russian pro-Trump interference in the 2016 presidential campaign was revived dramatically, three days before the summit, with the indictment of 12 accused Russian intelligence operatives for hacking into the computers of the Democratic Party.
However, Donald Trump estimated, this Monday alongside Vladimir Putin, that "this investigation is a disaster (...) which had negative consequences on the relations of the two leading nuclear powers in the world". “We have had a remarkable campaign and that is why I am president,” he added.
Asked about rumors of compromising files held by Moscow on Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin dismissed them with a backhand. “It would be hard to imagine greater nonsense! Get this nonsense out of your head, ”he said.
"Russia is trying to weaken democracy"
The director of American intelligence, Dan Coats, is however categorical. In reaction to statements made during the press conference, he defended the “clear” assessments of his services on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and on Moscow's “ongoing efforts” to “undermine” American democracy.
He had already estimated, last February, before the American Senate that there was no doubt that Russia considered the mid-term elections next November "as a target for operations of influence".
Paul Ryan took the opposite of Donald Trump's statements and assured: “There is no doubt, Russia interfered in our election and continues to try to weaken democracy here and in the world. "
Faced with this wave of indignation, the American president wished to ease tensions: “As I have said today and on several occasions before, I have immense confidence in my intelligence agents. However, I must also recognize that in order to build a better future, we cannot look exclusively to the past - being the world's two greatest nuclear powers, we must get along! He tweeted.
As I said today and many times before, “I have GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people.” However, I also recognize that in order to build a brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past - as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along!
