U.S. lawmakers slam Trump as 'weak' in Russia summit; some push new sanctions

By Richard Cowan and Amanda Becker

 

 U.S. Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer speaks to the news media about President Donald Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, U.S., July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis 

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leading U.S. lawmakers, including numerous Republicans, criticized President Donald Trump on Monday for failing to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's meddling in the 2016 U.S. election as the two heads of nuclear powers stood side-by-side at a joint news conference.

 

Trump, speaking in Helsinki after his first summit with Putin, said he saw no reason to believe his own country's intelligence agencies over the Kremlin leader's assurances that Russia did not interfere in the U.S. election.

 

A wave of condemnation immediately followed, with lawmakers calling Republican Trump "weak" and "cowardly," while Senator John McCain said the summit was "a tragic mistake." The war hero and former Republican presidential nominee, a frequent critic of the president, said Trump "failed to defend all that makes us who we are - a republic of free people dedicated to the cause of liberty at home and abroad."

 

Trump will meet with members of Congress on Tuesday, the White House said without giving further details.

 

On Friday, a U.S. special counsel unveiled indictments of 12 Russian spies on charges of hacking Democratic Party computers as part of election meddling, the second set of charges against Russians in a probe that Trump calls a political witch hunt.

 

After the Helsinki summit, at least two senators - Republican Pat Toomey and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer - raised the possibility of imposing new punishment on Russia.

 

Toomey said in a statement that unless Putin helps the United States prosecute Russians accused in the hacking, "the United States should impose tough new sanctions on Russia.”

 

It was unclear if Senate or House of Representatives leaders would back such a move or how new sanctions might be crafted. 

 

Relations between Washington and Moscow have been at their lowest point in the post-Cold War era. Trump touted the summit as a chance to improve ties. Even before the allegations of Russian meddling, tensions were high over Moscow's concerns about NATO expansion, Russian annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and Russia's military backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in its seven-year civil war.

 

Trump's eagerness to improve U.S. relations with Russia had been met with scepticism in Congress, where lawmakers nearly unanimously approved tough sanctions targeting Moscow in 2017.

 

Former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat, weighed in after the summit.

 

"Flattering dictators will not advance American interests. It makes us less safe," Biden said of Trump's remarks.

 

'RUSSIAN MEDDLING'

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, a Republican and a Trump appointee, responded to Trump's remarks and stood by the U.S. agencies.

 

"We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy," Coats said.

 

On his way home, Trump insisted in a post on Twitter that he has "GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people."

 

Not all Republicans in Congress were angry with Trump's conduct in Helsinki. "Absolutely I’m with the president on this; the (U.S.) intelligence community was full of biased people," Republican Senator Rand Paul told CNN.

 

House Speaker Paul Ryan, the top Republican in Congress, said Russia undoubtedly interfered in the 2016 election.

 

"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," said Ryan in a statement.

 

'NOT OUR FRIENDS'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, told reporters: "I’ve said a number of times and I’ll say it again. The Russians are not our friends and I entirely believe the assessment of our intelligence community."

 

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, a Republican, said Trump's comments next to Putin made the United States look like a "pushover."

 

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the summit was a "missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning ...This answer by President Trump will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness and create far more problems than it solves."

 

Senator Susan Collins said Trump's "position is untenable," while Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, also a Republican, outlined Russian aggression on several fronts and said the United States "will not tolerate hostile Russian activities against us or our allies."

 

Senate and House Democratic leaders Schumer and Nancy Pelosi went so far as to hint that Trump's conduct might stem from Putin possibly having embarrassing information about him.

 

Schumer said Trump's approach in Helsinki was unprecedented.

 

"For the president of the United States to side with President Putin against American law enforcement, American defence officials, and American intelligence agencies is thoughtless, dangerous, and weak," Schumer said.

 

(Reporting by Richard Cowan, Amanda Becker, Arshad Mohammed and Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Grant McCool and Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-17

Again, Tiny Don the crocodile, got outplayed by a far more intelligent and capable leader. He did commit treason, by siding with an enemy of the state. In many countries, the well deserved punishment would be death. Would that not be grand? He deserves that, for making the presidency into a personal tool. There was nothing diplomatic about this visit. It appeared to be personal in nature, and most of us doubt anything of substance was discussed. It was a free ride for Putin, and as usual, another leader got everything he wanted out of the meeting, and the US got nothing. 

 

 

 

Obviously he still has not understood that he's not playing in a soap opera....

These U.S. lawmakers etc. make all sorts of allegations but fail to follow their own laws:

 

1) Go to the existing mutual legal assistance treaty.
2) Present the evidence with requests for named offenders to be handed over; then
3) Await the outcome with an honest presentation of a case to be advanced.

 

Their rush for new sanctions shows a total disregard for due process.

Perhaps soon is the time that even Republicans are starting to come out.

 

Tea party Republican Joe Walsh on twitter

 

"Joe Walsh @WalshFreedom

 

Look, I'm no big deal, but today is the final straw for me. I will never support Trump again. If that makes me a NeverTrumper, so be it.

 

I am a tea party conservative, that will never change. But Trump was a traitor to this country today. That must not be accepted.

 

Speak out."

 

 

 

12 minutes ago, Topdoc said:

These U.S. lawmakers etc. make all sorts of allegations but fail to follow their own laws:

 

1) Go to the existing mutual legal assistance treaty.
2) Present the evidence with requests for named offenders to be handed over; then
3) Await the outcome with an honest presentation of a case to be advanced.

 

Their rush for new sanctions shows a total disregard for due process.

4) Outcome

 

You don't have any slight idea of what the outcome will be like, do you?

11 minutes ago, Topdoc said:

These U.S. lawmakers etc. make all sorts of allegations but fail to follow their own laws:

 

1) Go to the existing mutual legal assistance treaty.
2) Present the evidence with requests for named offenders to be handed over; then
3) Await the outcome with an honest presentation of a case to be advanced.

 

Their rush for new sanctions shows a total disregard for due process.

No, your comment betrays your misunderstanding of due process. Due process is a legal term used in the justice system to signify that everything is done according to law. There's nothing that violates the law in proposing new sanctions. Is there something in the treaty that limits the US Congress's actions?

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Again, Tiny Don the crocodile, got outplayed by a far more intelligent and capable leader. He did commit treason, by siding with an enemy of the state. In many countries, the well deserved punishment would be death. Would that not be grand? He deserves that, for making the presidency into a personal tool. There was nothing diplomatic about this visit. It appeared to be personal in nature, and most of us doubt anything of substance was discussed. It was a free ride for Putin, and as usual, another leader got everything he wanted out of the meeting, and the US got nothing. 

 

 

Russia is not an enemy.  We may not like them, but we are not at war with them. While I may not like how the summit went. I would like to know what act of treason your referring to. Were state secrets passed along? I don't think so

19 minutes ago, PhonThong said:

Russia is not an enemy.  We may not like them, but we are not at war with them. While I may not like how the summit went. I would like to know what act of treason your referring to. Were state secrets passed along? I don't think so

That's funny. When Trump betrayed classified Israeli intelligence to the Russians, his supporters argued that in the act of revealing classified info the President has automatically declassified it And they are legally correct. So even if Trump passed along such info, it would no longer be classified. So, I guess, technically, that wouldn't be treason. And the thing is, usually a President has advisors on hand to help him in his conversation. The only people besides Trump and Putin who could witness what was being said were translators. It's reminiscent of the method Trump used when he asked everyone else to leave the room but Comey in order to ask him to go easy on Flynn.

1 hour ago, PhonThong said:

Russia is not an enemy.  We may not like them, but we are not at war with them. While I may not like how the summit went. I would like to know what act of treason your referring to. Were state secrets passed along? I don't think so

Putin who is often thought of being a great strategist made Russia an enemy of the west by his own stupid actions. Putin decided to occupy Crimea along other entities. He started to weaken the west, EU and USA by supporting both left and right wing groups.

 

The tactical situation looked great for Putin for an while. Brexit and Trump were great victories along with rising left and right winger anger in EU. 

 

But the cost is huge. Putin, along with his lackeys, Nigel, Boris, Trump etc. has managed to anger the moderate middle class people. One should know that in democracies one should always keep the large middle class people in rest. Once they start to go agains one thing, that's the end of even dictatorships. 

 

Trump will lose his powers. Western world come together to protect their middle class lifestyle. Russia is going to be further isolated from the world stage as it's labeled a bully, who wishes to destroy the western way of life - an enemy.

 

Putin is a great tactician, but lousy strategist. He is quick to take an advantage of the situation, but he lacks the intelligence to think the results in longer terms.

 

Getting rid of Putin might be the best thing Russia could hope for. But then again, who would take over his reign? 

Everybody with a clear brain recognizes some contradictions in Trumps behavior. there are  very suspicious contradictions

• aggressive, irrational behavior against former best friends and allies of the USA, but @rsch-licking Putin – against normal sense.

• his (typical) discrepancy towards the CIA. A short time after his inauguration into office he said: „I love you, I respect you. There is nobody who I respect more.“ Already in the same speech he lollygagged that the press reported so negatively, but didn't talk about the president – CIA relationship. The CIA people felt his refusal.

• US intelligence agencies concluded in 2016 that Russia was behind an effort to tip the scale of the US election against Hillary Clinton, with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks and fake news stories planted on social media. He calls it a witch hunt! A (brain) healthy POTUS had  to do the correct things. Trump not.

• He said Germany is a captive of Russia; The US press reports now TRUMP/the USA seems to be the „captive“ of Putin.

• The list goes on

 

For me it's clear evidence Trump has to hide a very, very dangerous secret which is in the hands of Putin – and may forfeit his lousy presidency. He is now a pawn in Putin's hand. Because it's well known that Trump would put his own egomaniac fortune higher than that of his country, he does all to appease (=silence) Putin.

 

I hope the people in the USA open their eyes for the coming elections.

This man is being blackmailed. Pure and simple.

3 hours ago, PhonThong said:

Russia is not an enemy.  We may not like them, but we are not at war with them. While I may not like how the summit went. I would like to know what act of treason your referring to. Were state secrets passed along? I don't think so

It’s completely obvious now that Trump has something to hide, and he is so insecure that he disgraces his own country in front of the world.  If you are American, you should be ashamed.  So you think it is ok for Trump to put down democratic countries, but give a brown nose lose for the USA by a country that is subverting the US democratic system?  Even Russians are getting fed up.

1 hour ago, puck2 said:

Everybody with a clear brain recognizes some contradictions in Trumps behavior. there are  very suspicious contradictions

• aggressive, irrational behavior against former best friends and allies of the USA, but @rsch-licking Putin – against normal sense.

• his (typical) discrepancy towards the CIA. A short time after his inauguration into office he said: „I love you, I respect you. There is nobody who I respect more.“ Already in the same speech he lollygagged that the press reported so negatively, but didn't talk about the president – CIA relationship. The CIA people felt his refusal.

• US intelligence agencies concluded in 2016 that Russia was behind an effort to tip the scale of the US election against Hillary Clinton, with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks and fake news stories planted on social media. He calls it a witch hunt! A (brain) healthy POTUS had  to do the correct things. Trump not.

• He said Germany is a captive of Russia; The US press reports now TRUMP/the USA seems to be the „captive“ of Putin.

• The list goes on

 

For me it's clear evidence Trump has to hide a very, very dangerous secret which is in the hands of Putin – and may forfeit his lousy presidency. He is now a pawn in Putin's hand. Because it's well known that Trump would put his own egomaniac fortune higher than that of his country, he does all to appease (=silence) Putin.

 

I hope the people in the USA open their eyes for the coming elections.

All his followers should move to Russia 

11 minutes ago, Redline said:

  If you are American, you should be ashamed. 

 

Believe me, we ARE!!!!

3 hours ago, PhonThong said:

Russia is not an enemy.  We may not like them, but we are not at war with them. While I may not like how the summit went. I would like to know what act of treason your referring to. Were state secrets passed along? I don't think so

 

The West is in a kind of war with Russia, for which kinds of systems of government are going to dominate in the world -- democratic vs authoritarian.

 

And yes, there was treason yesterday -- among other things, it's called giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

 

Quote

United States Constitution. Article III, section 3 reads as follows:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.

 

If Trump was adhering any closer to Putin's a**,  they would have had to pry his face off with a sledgehammer.

 

Edited July 17, 20187 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

3 hours ago, PhonThong said:

Russia is not an enemy.  We may not like them, but we are not at war with them. While I may not like how the summit went. I would like to know what act of treason your referring to. Were state secrets passed along? I don't think so

Depends on how you define war. We are certainly at cyber war with them. And the charlatan in chief is not doing much about that, is he? Played, baby played. That is basically what happens any time Tiny Don gets in the room with another adult.

 

 

Edited July 17, 20187 yr by spidermike007

A new sanction to be considered .?

They got to have something on him or he is just wants to be Russian Unbelievable sad day for America Bizarr World

Edited July 17, 20187 yr by TheFishman1

4 hours ago, PhonThong said:

Russia is not an enemy.  We may not like them, but we are not at war with them. While I may not like how the summit went. I would like to know what act of treason your referring to. Were state secrets passed along? I don't think so

You’re right. Russia is not an enemy. An adversary perhaps. The truth is we’ll never know what was passed at their meeting as I understand there were no witnesses. 

Hardly news to many of us but the clearest possible example of Trump acting not for the greater good, but simply for himself.

I don't think I have ever before, seen or heard a major political figure rubbish his own country to such an extent.

One has to ponder why , it seems to me there are only 3 possible reasons for such behaviour.

1) His ego and vanity are such that he will rubbish any and all attempts that suggest the election was compromised. If he has to throw his country under a bus to achieve that aim then so be it.

2) An extension of the above but with the added question of Trump's personal involvement in either the Russian election meddling or some other compromising act. In Short Putin has him by the balls.

3) Quite frankly the only other explanation is that Trump is so far out of his depth that he literally doesn't know what he is doing. Perhaps this rather boring point lacks drama , yet in truth it's the most frightening possibility of all.

I notice that even the fan boys are not attempting to defend him , Hardly surprising as his action was utterly squalid.

4 hours ago, PhonThong said:

Were state secrets passed along? I don't think so

Trump did that himself in the oval office early on during his reign.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump's_disclosures_of_classified_information

2 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

I don't think I have ever before, seen or heard a major political figure rubbish his own country to such an extent.

Within the first two minutes of the joint press conference, he opened up a diatribe against the Democratic party and sprinkled campaign rhetoric against Hillary later on. The man has no CLUE how a world leader should behave. I can only imagine his staff either tries to help him (and possibly get fired on the spot?) or bite their tongues while they update their cv's. If there weren't SO many serious repercussions, he might be mildly amusing.

2 hours ago, Redline said:

It’s completely obvious now that Trump has something to hide, and he is so insecure that he disgraces his own country in front of the world.  If you are American, you should be ashamed.  So you think it is ok for Trump to put down democratic countries, but give a brown nose lose for the USA by a country that is subverting the US democratic system?  Even Russians are getting fed up.

I'm an American and I certainly would not use the word ashamed.

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Again, Tiny Don the crocodile, got outplayed by a far more intelligent and capable leader. He did commit treason, by siding with an enemy of the state. In many countries, the well deserved punishment would be death. Would that not be grand? He deserves that, for making the presidency into a personal tool.

You could shorten your posts by quite a bit and save yourself a lot of typing...

 

After reading your 4 opening sentences, I was done with your insane rant.

I thought Trump did a good job in Russia. These puerile, hysterical reports are ridiculous. 

12 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

I thought Trump did a good job in Russia. These puerile, hysterical reports are ridiculous. 

You mean the Miss Universe contest? Or did Trump give Helsinki to Russia as a gift? The way he gave Kim Jong Un a halt to joint exercises with the South Koreans without getting anything in return.

55 minutes ago, tropo said:

You could shorten your posts by quite a bit and save yourself a lot of typing...

 

After reading your 4 opening sentences, I was done with your insane rant.

And you can stop replying to what you consider an insane rant but what many consider to be absolutely true and agree with.

Trump is “thinking outside the box”. Hence, very few can understand him. Time will speak for itself, later - for the better or worse!

What is funny (so to speak) is the akward situation in which he puts his own party. Republicans, as far as I understand, have never been pro-Russia. And now they have to chose between disapproving their former candidate and at least passively support Russia.