In the morning hours before the summit began, Trump said his own country, rather than Russia, was to blame for the hostilities between their two nations. Although most U.S. officials fault Russia’s election interference, its alleged use of a nerve agent on British soil and its aggression in Ukraine and Syria, Trump instead faulted “U.S. foolishness and stupidity” in a tweet. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s official Twitter account retweeted it and added, “We agree.”<doc-sep>Reporter: “Do you hold Russia at all accountable for anything in particular? And if so, what would you, what would you, consider them, that they are responsible for?” “Yes, I do. I hold both countries responsible. I think that the United States has been foolish. I think we’ve all been foolish. I think we’re all to blame. I think that the United States now has stepped forward, along with Russia, and we’re getting together and we have a chance to do some great things. I do feel that we have both made some mistakes.” Reporter: “For President Putin, if I could follow up as well. Why should Americans and why should President Trump believe your statement that Russia did not intervene in the 2016 election, given the evidence that U.S. intelligence agencies have provided. And will you consider extraditing the 12 Russian officials that were indicted last week by a U.S. grand jury?” “Well, I’m going to let the president answer the second part of that question, but just to say it one time again, and I say it all the time, there was no collusion. I didn’t know the president. There was nobody to collude with.” Reporter: “Thank you. Question for each president, President Trump, you first. Just now, President Putin denied having anything to do with the election interference in 2016. Every U.S. intelligence agency has concluded that Russia did. Who do you believe? My second question is: Would you now, with the whole world watching, tell President Putin, would you denounce what happened in 2016 and would you warn him to never do it again?” “So let me just say that we have two thoughts. You have groups that are wondering why the F.B.I. never took the server. Why haven’t they taken the server? My people came to me. Dan Coats came to me, and some others, they said they think it’s Russia. I have President Putin. He just said it’s not Russia. I will say this. I don’t see any reason why it would be. But I really do want to see the server. But I have confidence in both parties. I have great confidence in my intelligence people. But I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today, and what he did is an incredible offer. He offered to have the people working on the case come and work with their investigators with respect to the 12 people. I think that’s an incredible offer. O.K.? Thank you.”<doc-sep>Sen. Lindsey Graham called the meeting a "missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning regarding future elections." | Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo GOP offers modest rebuke to Trump after Putin press conference Some Republicans criticized the president, but few signaled any action was forthcoming. President Donald Trump drew quick criticism from a handful of Republicans for aligning with Vladimir Putin and dismissing Moscow's electoral sabotage — but few GOP lawmakers signaled concrete plans to act on their alarm about Trump's remarkably cozy appearance with the Russian president. Before Trump's one-on-one meeting with Putin, multiple GOP senators had urged the president to send a strong message of disapproval about Russian interference in the 2016 election, particularly given the indictment Friday of 12 Russian intelligence officials accused of hacking the Democratic National Committee. But Trump took the opposite approach at a joint press conference Monday in Helsinki, casting doubt on the conclusion of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia was behind the systematic cyber-disruption documented by special counsel Robert Mueller, even as Putin declared that he had wanted Trump to win the White House. It was, said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), "one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory." "The damage inflicted by President Trump’s naiveté, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate. But it is clear that the summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake," McCain said in a statement. "No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant." Few Republicans echoed McCain's tone of disgust, though the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman was joined in his assessment by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who declared that Putin "gained a tremendous amount" from Trump treating his word as equivalent to the U.S. intelligence community’s. Those sort of forceful comments from Republicans are still relegated to a minority of frequent critics of Trump and retiring GOP lawmakers. But noticeable angst over Trump's lengthy meeting with Putin flowed through much of the Republican Party on Monday afternoon. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a frequent ally of Trump's, declared the meeting a "missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning regarding future elections." And House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) emphasized that he disagreed with Trump but declined to criticize the president directly. “There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world,” Ryan said. “The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters Monday, “The Russians are not our friends, and I entirely agree with the assessment of our intelligence community.” Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), chairman of the intelligence committee, issued a statement reiterating previous conclusions by his panel and U.S. intelligence agencies about Russian electoral sabotage, adding: "Any statement by Vladimir Putin contrary to these facts is a lie and should be recognized as one by the president." Trump's performance also drew harsher condemnations from Republicans in Congress who haven't hesitated to blast him in the past. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) described the president's choice to fault both countries for bad U.S.-Russia relations as "bizarre and flat-out wrong." "America wants a good relationship with the Russian people but Vladimir Putin and his thugs are responsible for Soviet-style aggression," Sasse said in a statement. "When the President plays these moral equivalence games, he gives Putin a propaganda win he desperately needs." But it's unclear what, if anything, the GOP-controlled Congress is prepared to do to respond to Trump's Putin meeting, which the U.S. president called a "very good start." Lawmakers approved a Russia sanctions package last year on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis, though Democrats and some Republicans have lamented the Trump administration's sluggish pace of acting on the new sanctions powers that law gave him. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), chairman of the GOP's campaign arm, said he wants those penalties implemented in "full" and "will continue to support maximum economic sanctions on Russia." Graham proposed hearings on potential U.S. collaboration with Russia in Syria, while most other Republicans used the Trump-Putin summit to reiterate their agreement with the intelligence community's conclusions about Russian election sabotage. "The American people deserve the truth, & to disregard the legitimacy of our intelligence officials is a disservice to the men & women who serve this country," Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) tweeted. "It’s time to wake up & face reality. Putin is not our friend; he’s an enemy to our freedom." Many Republicans stayed immediately silent in the aftermath of the Trump-Putin joint appearance, while others offered support to the president. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who praised Trump's decision to sit down with Putin, didn't waver in that judgment. "We applaud them meeting and engaging," a Paul spokesman said. Meanwhile, Democrats widely lambasted Trump's behavior during and after the Putin meeting as harmful to U.S. interests. "For the president of the United States to side with President Putin against American law enforcement, American defense officials, and American intelligence agencies is thoughtless, dangerous, and weak," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a statement.<doc-sep>Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats underscored the intelligence community's assessment that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, countering his boss, President Donald Trump. "The role of the Intelligence Community is to provide the best information and fact-based assessments possible for the President and policymakers," Coats said in a statement. "We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy, and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of our national security." Coats' statement came hours after Trump stood next to Vladimir Putin at a news conference in Helsinki and accepted the Russian president's denials of interference in the U.S. election. "My people came to me, Dan Coats came to me, some others, they said they think it's Russia," Trump said at the news conference. "I have President Putin. He just said it's not Russia. I will say this, I don't see any reason why it would be." Laterm Trump tweeted that while he has “GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people,” he wants to “get along” with Russia instead of focusing on the past. That tweet came before the "CBS Evening News" broadcast an interview with Trump in which he cast doubt on Coats’ recent warning that the nation is susceptible to a large-scale cybersecurity attack. “I don’t know if I agree with that. I’d have to look,” Trump told CBS anchor Jeff Glor. “But I have a lot of respect for Dan.” Trump's remarks at the news conference brought swift condemnation from Democrats and Republicans alike. Some suggested Coats should step down to maintain his integrity. Mike Murphy, a GOP consultant and Trump critic now at the Harvard Belfer Center, said he gave friends involved in national security a pass for joining the Trump administration. But Trump crossed a line with his comments Monday, Murphy said, by "throwing the entire intelligence community under the bus." "My people came to me, Dan Coats came to me, some others, they said they think it's Russia," Trump said as he stood next to Putin at a joint news conference between the two leaders following their talks in Helsinki. "I have President Putin. He just said it's not Russia. I will say this, I don't see any reason why it would be." Richard Lugar, a former Republican senator from Indiana, said Coats should "just keep his head down and do his duty" because his experience is too valuable to lose. "I think it’s important to the country that he stay where he is," Lugar said. In 2014, Coats was banned from Russia for his efforts as a senator to punish the country because of Moscow’s move to annex the Crimea region of Ukraine. Coats on Friday painted a stark picture of cyber security threats to the nation, comparing the warning signs to those that flashed red before 9/11 — and taking a much tougher stance towards Russia than Trump has. “The system is blinking,” Coats said in remarks at the Hudson Institute. “I believe we’re at a critical point.” Despite Kremlin denials, Coats said, people affiliated with the St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency continue to create social media accounts to masquerade as Americans and sow division. Russian government actors have also targeted businesses, state and local governments, critical infrastructure and manufacturing sectors, he said. “Russia has been the most aggressive foreign actor, no question,” Coats said. “They continue their efforts to undermine our democracy.” Coats’ Friday comments came hours after the Justice Department indicted a dozen Russian military intelligence officers for attempting to undermine the 2016 election in part by hacking into the Democratic National Committee. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the head of the Foreign Relations Committee, expressed disbelief Monday that Trump did not back up U.S. intelligence agencies. “When he had the opportunity to defend our intelligence agencies, who work for him, I was very disappointed and saddened with the equivalency he gave between them and what Putin was saying," Corker said. Michael McFaul, the U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014, tweeted that Trump sided with Putin over Coats. "How humiliating for Coats – broadcast to the world," McFaul tweeted.<doc-sep>
WASHINGTON—Top congressional Republicans sharply criticized President Donald Trump Monday after he cast doubt on Russian interference in the 2016 election during a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning regarding future elections,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), who often advocates for Mr. Trump on Capitol Hill, said on Twitter Monday. “This answer by President Trump will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness and create far more problems than it solves.” Standing next to Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump said he trusted the Russian president’s denial that Moscow had interfered in the 2016 presidential campaign and didn’t take an opportunity to warn Mr. Putin against future meddling. “I have great confidence in my intelligence people but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today,” Mr. Trump said. During the press conference, Mr. Putin said he had wanted Mr. Trump to win the election but that his country didn’t meddle in the campaign. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.), who is retiring at year’s end, pushed back on Mr. Trump’s assessment Monday afternoon. “There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world,” Mr. Ryan said in a statement. “The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally.” “The Russians are not our friends and I entirely believe the assessment of our intelligence community,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.). Mr. Trump’s comments came just days after special counsel Robert Mueller charged a dozen Russian intelligence officers with hacking the computers of Democratic organizations during the 2016 campaign and releasing emails strategically during the campaign to undercut Democrat Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid. GOP Sen. John McCain, who is battling brain cancer at home in Arizona, delivered one of the most blistering attacks on Mr. Trump Monday. “Today’s press conference in Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory,” Mr. McCain said in a statement. “No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant.” Because Mr. Trump is highly popular with the most faithful Republican voters, GOP lawmakers have largely refrained from criticizing him, even while he has deviated from party orthodoxy by escalating a trade fight by levying tariffs and criticizing such traditional U.S. allies as the European Union and Britain. President Trump’s cordial meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin was in sharp contrast to his more combative meetings with NATO allies last week. Photo: Reuters Mr. Trump’s sway is powerful among GOP voters: Rep. Mark Sanford (R., S.C.), a critic of the president, lost his primary last month after Mr. Trump endorsed his GOP opponent. But congressional Republicans objected Monday when Mr. Trump said he held “both countries” responsible for the deterioration in U.S.-Russia relations and said he did not see “any reason why” Russia would be responsible for interfering in the 2016 election. “A person can be in favor of improving relations with Russia, in favor of meeting with Putin, and still think something is not right here,” Rep. Justin Amash (R., Mich.) said on Twitter after the press conference. Sen. Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.), who has frequently clashed with Mr. Trump, called the president’s remarks “shameful” on Twitter. “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,” said Mr. Flake, who is retiring. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) said he found Mr. Trump’s comments “deeply disappointing” and that they made the U.S. look like a “pushover.” “This was a very good day for President Putin,” said Mr. Corker, noting he was startled that Mr. Trump didn’t defend U.S. intelligence agencies, which work for him. “It was saddening at this point to see our intelligence agencies on parity with the words that were coming out of President Putin’s mouth.” Other Republicans defended the president’s statements in Helsinki, arguing that American intelligence agencies are unreliable. “I think for the president to cast doubt is appropriate,” Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) said, in a reference to the election interference investigation.