WS Chronicle

Chronicle Staff and Wire Reports

In an extraordinary embrace of a longtime U.S. enemy, President Donald Trump on Monday openly questioned his own intelligence agencies’ firm finding that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election to his benefit, seeming to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin’s insistence that Moscow’s hands were clean.

The reaction back home was immediate and visceral, among fellow Republicans as well as usual Trump critics. “Shameful,” `’disgraceful,” `’weak,” were a few of the comments. “This was a very good day for President Putin,” said GOP Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Makes the U.S. “look like a pushover,” he said.

In news reports on Tuesday, Trump appeared to backtrack on his words, saying: “The sentence should’ve been: ‘I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be Russia.’”

But that came after the harsh reaction on Monday.

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) on Monday released the following statement from Washington:

“The Senate Intelligence Committee has reviewed the 2017 IC assessment and found no reason to doubt its conclusion that President Putin ordered an influence campaign aimed at the 2016 U.S. elections with the goal of undermining faith in our democratic process. Russia has conducted a coordinated cyberattack on state election systems, and hacked critical infrastructure. They have used social media to sow chaos and discord in our society.  They have beaten and harassed U.S. diplomats and violated anti-proliferation treaties.  Any statement by Vladimir Putin contrary to these facts is a lie and should be recognized as one by the President.

“Vladimir Putin is not our friend and never has been.  Nor does he want to be our friend.  His regime’s actions prove it.  We must make clear that the United States will not tolerate hostile Russian activities against us or our allies.”

Also on Monday from Washington, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) issued the following statement on U.S.-Russia relations after the meeting between President Trump and Vladimir Putin:

“There cannot be any equivocation: Vladimir Putin is to blame for Russia’s poor relations with the United States and the rest of the free world. It is Putin’s regime that illegally invaded Crimea, props up Assad’s murderous regime in Syria, assassinates dissidents on foreign soil, and meddles in the elections of the United States and its European allies.

“I’ve long maintained that America needs to take a strong position when it comes to Russia. While we should work with Russia on the specific instances where our nations share mutual objectives, we must confront Russia when they threaten the interests and well-being of America and its allies.

“Dialogue is not a bad thing, however, any meaningful improvement in our relationship with Russia must be solely dependent on whether Putin’s government starts to behave as a good faith actor on the world stage. Unfortunately, recent history casts serious doubt on if that is even a possibility.”

Trump’s meeting with Putin in Helsinki was his first time sharing the international stage with a man he has described as an important U.S. competitor – but whom he has also praised a strong, effective leader.

His remarks, siding with a foe on foreign soil over his own government, was a stark illustration of Trump’s willingness to upend decades of U.S. foreign policy and rattle Western allies in service of his political concerns. A wary and robust stance toward Russia has been a bedrock of his party’s world view. But Trump made clear he feels that any firm acknowledgement of Russia’s involvement would undermine the legitimacy of his election. Lawmakers in both major parties and former intelligence officials appeared shocked, dismayed and uneasy with Trump’s suggestion that he believes Putin’s denial of interfering in the 2016 elections. It was a remarkable break with U.S. intelligence officials and the Justice Department. And just as alarming for some, Trump also put the two countries on the same footing when casting blame for their strained relations.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called it “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.”

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., called it “bizarre.” Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., called it “shameful.” And Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., tweeted that it was a “bad day for the US.”

Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, said he’s seen Russian intelligence manipulate many people in his earlier career as a CIA officer. But, he tweeted, “I never would have thought that the US President would become one of the ones getting played by old KGB hands.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan weighed in to say there’s “no question” that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election and “no moral equivalence” between the U.S. and Russia.

“The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally,” Ryan, R-Wis., said in a statement. Russia, he said, “remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals.”

Much of the Republican rebuke came from lawmakers who have been willing to openly criticize the president, a group that remains a minority in the GOP.

Many top Republicans remained on the sidelines after the Justice Department on Friday indicted 12 Russian intelligence officials for election-related hacking.

But several Republicans who don’t typically buck the president raised concerns, shocked by Monday’s performance.

Trump ally Newt Gingrich called it “the most serious mistake” of Trump’s presidency _ and one that “must be corrected_immediately.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.