Trump - Putin Summit

President Trump emerged from his historic summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday saying he doesn’t “see any reason” to think that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

“I don’t see any reason why it would be,” Trump said during a joint press conference with Putin following their discussions. “President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.”

But Putin himself acknowledged that he preferred Trump over Hillary Clinton in the election. “Yes I did,” he said. “Because he talked about bringing the U.S.-Russia relationship back to normal.”

Trump said the pair “spent a great deal of time” in their discussions on Moscow’s meddling.

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Key members of Congress, including some Republicans, are criticizing President Donald Trump’s performance at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “bizarre,” ”shameful” and a “missed opportunity” to stand up to Russia.

House Speaker Paul Ryan delivered a strongly worded statement, saying there’s “no question” that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, and noting that U.S. intelligence agencies and a House panel agreed.

“The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally,” Ryan said, in what was, for the mild-mannered speaker, akin to a reprimand. Ryan said Russia “remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals.”

Other high-profile Republicans also expressed dismay.

“I never thought I would see the day when our American President would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression,” tweeted Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. “This is shameful.”

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At the conclusion of President Trump’s extraordinary joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, critical reaction flooded in from members of the media, political analysts and government officials, but none resonated more than that of CNN anchor Anderson Cooper.

“You have been watching one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president at a summit in front of a Russian leader that I’ve ever seen,” Cooper said in reaction to Trump’s repeated deflections on the question of whether Putin’s government had meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

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Trump now says he misspoke.

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Ohio GOP leader resigns