US President Donald Trump blamed the US investigation into Russian meddling at the 2016 presidential election for poor relations with Russia last night.
Speaking to Fox News after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump described the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller as a “phony wedge” and a “phony witch hunt”, adding “it has driven a wedge and President Putin said that”.
The interview followed Trumps Helsinki summit with Putin yesterday where the two met behind closed doors before holding a bizarre joint press conference where Trump seemed to side with Putin over his own intelligence agencies on the question of Russian election interference.
He later rowed back on his comments on Twitter – emphasising the importance of relations between the US and Russia.
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 worlds two largest nuclear powers, we must get along! #HELSINKI2018
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2018
The summit sparked a storm of criticism in the US, even from normally reliable Trump supporters.
Republican House speaker Paul Ryan said: “The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy."
Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell also contradicted Trumps statements.
"I've said a number of times and I say it again, the Russians are not our friends and I entirely believe the assessment of our intelligence community," he said.
Former Republican congressman Joe Walsh said the summit had made him withdraw his support for Trump.
I've always tried to balance my personal distaste for Trump with my support for much of the agenda. The good Trump/bad Trump thing.
After 2day, that dance is over. The bad Trump now clearly outweighs any policy benefits.
He is a danger to this country. I can't straddle anymore.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 16, 2018
Democratic representative Adam Schiff – the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee called Trump's performance "cowardly and shameful".
"President Trump just attacked our intelligence agencies and law enforcement for doing their jobs while standing next to a dictator who intervened in our election to help elect Trump," he said.
President Trumps performance today was the most damaging and shameful surrender of American values and interests in modern history.
I say again to my Republican colleagues: Wake up.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) July 16, 2018
It also emerged yesterday that the US Justice Department had charged Russian citizen Mariia Butina with conspiring against the US as a secret agent.
Butina was arrested on Sunday and appeared in court on Monday.
She spent three years trying to make contacts within US political organisations alongside her mentor, banker Alexander Torshin, according to court filings.
Read more: Helsinki camaraderie: Putin admits he wanted Trump to win US election
She and Torshin were lifetime members of the National Rifle Association and also had links to the Republican Party.
Butinas arrest follows the indictment last week of 12 Russian intelligence officers for interfering in the US presidential election.
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