Putin offers transcript to prove Trump did not pass Russia secrets

[webfact]

Putin offers transcript to prove Trump did not pass Russia secrets

By Denis Pinchuk and Andrew Osborn

REUTERS

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, Russia, May 17, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Kadobnov/Pool

 

SOCHI/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump had not divulged any secrets during a meeting in Washington with Russian officials and offered to prove it by supplying Congress with a transcript.

 

But a leading U.S. Republican politician said he would have little faith in any notes Putin might supply.

 

Two U.S. officials said on Monday Trump had disclosed classified information about a planned Islamic State operation to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov when they met last week, plunging the White House into a fresh controversy just four months into Trump's tenure.

 

Trump, whose administration has been dogged by allegations that Russia helped him win the White House and that he and his allies are too cosy with Moscow, has defended his decision to discuss intelligence with the Russians after media reports of the meeting alarmed some U.S. and foreign politicians.

 

President Putin deployed his trademark sarcasm on Wednesday to make clear he thought the accusation that Trump had divulged secrets absurd.

 

"I spoke to him (Lavrov) today," a smiling Putin told a news conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

 

"I'll be forced to issue him (Lavrov) with a reprimand because he did not share these secrets with us. Not with me, nor with representatives of Russia's intelligence services. It was very bad of him."

 

Putin, who still hopes Moscow can repair battered ties with the United States despite a deepening political scandal in the United States related to Trump's purported Russia ties, said Moscow had rated Lavrov's meeting with Trump highly.

 

If the Trump administration deemed it appropriate, Putin said Russia could hand over a transcript of Trump's meeting with Lavrov to U.S. lawmakers to reassure them that no secrets were revealed.

 

A Kremlin aide, Yuri Ushakov, later told reporters that Moscow had a written record of the conversation, not an audio recording.

 

KREMLIN CREDIBILITY

 

U.S. Republican Senator Marco Rubio was unimpressed with Putin’s offer and alluded to alleged Russian hacking of Democratic groups during the U.S. presidential election.

 

"I wouldn't put much credibility into whatever Putin's notes are," Rubio said on Fox News. "And if it comes in an email, I wouldn't click on the attachment."

 

Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, which is among those probing alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, called Putin's offer "quite amusing."

 

"The last person Trump needs to vouch for him right now is Vladimir Putin," Schiff said in an interview with CBS News. "If they want to send something, you know, hats off. Send it our way... It's credibility would be less than zero."

 

Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in the U.S. election.

 

Trump is also under pressure over accusations he asked then-FBI Director James Comey to end the agency's investigation into the Russia ties of former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn.

 

The allegation stems from a memo written by Comey and seen by a source familiar with the contents of the memo.

 

In Washington, Republican and Democratic lawmakers said they wanted to see the Comey memo. U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger joined a small but growing number of Republican lawmakers who have said they would back some sort of independent investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 election.

 

"If in fact what was in the memo is true, it's very concerning and we need to get to the bottom of that,” Kinzinger said on CNN.

 

'EITHER STUPID OR CORRUPT'

 

Complaining about what he said was "political schizophrenia" in the United States, Putin said Trump was not being allowed to do his job properly.

 

"It's hard to imagine what else these people who generate such nonsense and rubbish can dream up next," said Putin, referring to unnamed U.S. politicians.

 

"What surprises me is that they are shaking up the domestic political situation using anti-Russian slogans. Either they don't understand the damage they're doing to their own country, in which case they are simply stupid, or they understand everything, in which case they are dangerous and corrupt."

 

Russia has repeatedly said that Trump's opponents are trying to damage him and Moscow by making what it says are false accusations about the billionaire president and the Russian government which initially had high hopes of a rapprochement.

 

Officials have told Reuters Trump's alleged disclosure of classified information to Russia's foreign minister is unlikely to stop allies who share intelligence with Washington from cooperating.

 

That view was reinforced on Wednesday when British Prime Minister Theresa May said her government had confidence in its relationship with the United States and would continue to share intelligence with Britain's most important defence and security ally.

 

(Additional reporting by Jack Stubbs and Maria Tsvetkova in MOSCOW and Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey in WASHINGTON; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Christian Lowe and Ralph Boulton)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-18

[sirineou]

Sure , cause we all know they would never change their notes to fit their agenda.

Edited May 17, 2017 by sirineou

[Andaman Al]

Now why would Putin even discuss this? We live in amazing, funny, bizarre times.

[halloween]

Hardly secrets after blabber mouth has finished polishing his ego.

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, Andaman Al said:

Now why would Putin even discuss this? We live in amazing, funny, bizarre times.

It sure raised my eyebrows. Donald could use a knight in shining armour to come to his aid, but Putin is hardly the person he needs being seen to help him.

Unless of course, Putin is deliberately coming forward, to stir the American pot up some more.

[phantomfiddler]

"It,s hard to imagine what else these people who generate such nonsense and rubbish will come up with next" ? Well said, and it,s about time the American public grew up and accepted the fact that Trump won the election !

[mtls2005]

Donald could use a knight in shining armour to come to his aid, but Putin is hardly the person he needs being seen to help him.

 

 

 

[harada]

Sankyou for the info comrade Trump, that box of Stolichnaya is in the diplomatic pouch. 

[Berkshire]

3 hours ago, Andaman Al said:

Now why would Putin even discuss this? We live in amazing, funny, bizarre times.

Speaking of bizarre, how about this latest revelation...coming from the GOP leadership no less!

 

[In a 2016 conversation with fellow members of House leadership, majority leader Kevin McCarthy suggested that Donald Trump was on Vladimir Putin’s payroll.

In an exchange first reported by the Washington Post, McCarthy said: “There’s…there’s two people, I think, Putin pays: [California Representative Dana] Rohrabacher and Trump…[laughter]…swear to God.”]

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/17/putin-pays-donald-trump-kevin-mccarthy-recording

 

[55Jay]

22 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Speaking of bizarre, how about this latest revelation...coming from the GOP leadership no less!

 

[In a 2016 conversation with fellow members of House leadership, majority leader Kevin McCarthy suggested that Donald Trump was on Vladimir Putin’s payroll.

In an exchange first reported by the Washington Post, McCarthy said: “There’s…there’s two people, I think, Putin pays: [California Representative Dana] Rohrabacher and Trump…[laughter]…swear to God.”]

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/17/putin-pays-donald-trump-kevin-mccarthy-recording

 

Revelation.  LOL. 

[mtls2005]

Must check with Boris and Natasha for notes.

 

Also Elizabeth and Phillip Jennings.

[zaphod reborn]

A doctored transcript of a recording made with a bug that was planted when only Russian diplomats and media were present in the Oval Office.  At least Putin can now confirm that his agents were successful in bugging the White House.

[iReason]

3 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

"It,s hard to imagine what else these people who generate such nonsense and rubbish will come up with next" ? Well said...

Right.

 

More quotes from your new best friend:

 

"I spoke to him (Lavrov) today," a smiling Putin told a news conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

"I'll be forced to issue him (Lavrov) with a reprimand because he did not share these secrets with us. Not with me, nor with representatives of Russia's intelligence services. It was very bad of him."

 

If you believe that, I got a bridge for ya...

[Fulwell53]

Putin alibis trump ???

 

Akin to fred west  providing an alibi to ted bundy.

2 of the most power crazy , paranoid egomaniacs on the planet.

Credibility central.

[smotherb]

4 hours ago, darksidedog said:

It sure raised my eyebrows. Donald could use a knight in shining armour to come to his aid, but Putin is hardly the person he needs being seen to help him.

Unless of course, Putin is deliberately coming forward, to stir the American pot up some more.

Don't you think Putin is enjoying this?

[Rhys]

... is from moose and squirrel.

 

[elgordo38]

Can someone  help me out here is this lets be friends or lets be enemies day. Frankly I have lost track. 

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

But a leading U.S. Republican politician said he would have little faith in any notes Putin might supply.

Sorry Vladimir this is not a make friends day try again tomorrow. 

[elgordo38]

59 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Don't you think Putin is enjoying this?

A resounding YES

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

"It,s hard to imagine what else these people who generate such nonsense and rubbish will come up with next" ? Well said, and it,s about time the American public grew up and accepted the fact that Trump won the election !

I think there should be a national day of mourning. Yes Americans should grow up and the President should be an example of that but sadly lacking. 

[Thakkar]

Putin offers to defend Trump who's campaign is under investigation for colluding with Putin to undermine American elections. Meanwhile Trump had asked the man investigating the collusion  to drop the case, and, when he refused, fired the investigator with a flimsy excuse provided by a man who was forced to recuse himself from the investigation due to earlier lying about possible conflicts.

 

The whole thing is so bizarre, it's important to put it in writing for posterity. When I tell my grandkids, I don't want them to think I'm senile.

[Trouble]

Since we will never know what supposed classified information Trump might have disclosed and since we have been told that the information was appropriate in relation to the discussion at hand why am I believing some unknown leaker reporting to the newspaper versus Gen. McMaster whom I would have a lot more confidence in.  If we had classified information from a classified source that a terrorist was planning an attack on a Aeroflot aircraft in Moscow would we keep it a secret or reveal it to the Russians and potentially save 300 lives?  Wonder if the leaker made his concern known to his agency heads or just thought it was a good opportunity to discredit the Administration. Why the necessity to leak the information other than to discredit.  

 

Putin must be getting a good laugh over the clusterfu*k going on in America these days.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Trouble

[bendejo]

This is sort of like a kid showing up at school with a note from his parents.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2017 by bendejo

[bartender100]

Putin and Russia are not the enemy, but we seem hell bent on making them such 

[Stargeezr]

Thanks Vlad, trry to keep the gaps and pauses from being noticeable.  Of course that way then the Donald will

look very good. 555. Sad really, Actually President Trump should tell Putin to get his troops out of Eastern Ukraine, and

the Crimean area. Go back to Russia you Russians.

  I just woder if Trump will last the 4 years or be gone In the next year or two.

Geezer

[Andaman Al]

35 minutes ago, bartender100 said:

Putin and Russia are not the enemy, but we seem hell bent on making them such 

[halloween]

1 hour ago, bartender100 said:

Putin and Russia are not the enemy, but we seem hell bent on making them such 

In Don's eyes, that seems to be the case. Part of his discussions with them concerned bypassing the sanctions imposed for their Ukraine/Crimea excursion. Nothing personal, it's just business.