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MAHATMA GANDHI ~ Truth never damages a cause that is just.
Tuesday, 17 July 2018
Trump says 'no reason' to believe Russia hacked US election
US
President Donald Trump said he sees no reason to believe that Moscow
hacked the 2016 US presidential election to help him win, adding that
Russian President Vladimir Putin “was extremely strong and powerful in
his denial".
His comments contradict US intelligence agencies' reports that Russia was behind an effort to interfere in the election.
Putin repeated that Russia had never interfered in US affairs.
The pair made the comments at a press conference in Helsinki, which followed face-to-face talks on Monday.
Before
the talks, Trump blamed his country for the deterioration of relations,
which he described in a Tweet as having "never been worse thanks to
many years of US foolishness."
Our relationship with Russia has NEVER been worse thanks to many years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity and now, the Rigged Witch Hunt!
The Russian Foreign Ministry replied: "We agree."
Asked
at the press conference if Russia was at all to blame for the poor
ties, he said: “I hold both countries responsible. I think the US has
been foolish. We’ve all been foolish.”
When questioned on whether
Putin was an adversary, he replied: “Actually I called him a competitor
and a good competitor he is and I think the word competitor is a
compliment.”
The US president later took to Twitter to claridy the remarks.
"As
I said today and many times before, 'I have GREAT confidence in MY
intelligence people.' However, I also recognize that in order to build a
brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past – as the
world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along!" he wrote.
As I said today and many times before, “I have GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people.” However, I also recognize that in order to build a brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past – as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along! #HELSINKI2018
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Reactions
Following the press conference, numerous US politicians issued statements criticising Trump for his remarks. Daniel Coats
US
director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats said: "We have been
clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election."
In
a statement, he said the US intelligence community has been clear about
Russia's "ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy." Ted Lieu
US
Representative Ted Lieu issued a statement describing what Trump did as
"utterly shameful, and a slap in the face to the professionals in the
Department of Justice and our intelligence community."
"Today we
watched a US President offer total deference to a hostile foreign power
while attacking U.S. institutions. By refusing to admit that Russia
attacked our Democracy, or that Russia did anything wrong whatsoever,
Trump is disturbingly regurgitating the Kremlin's talking points." Bob Corker
The Republican head of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Corker said Trump's comments at a joint news conference
with Putin made the United States look like a "pushover."
"When
he had the opportunity to defend our intelligence agencies who work for
him, I was very disappointed and saddened with the equivalency that he
gave between them and what Putin was saying," Corker told CNN.
"The president's comments made us look as a nation more like a pushover and I was disappointed in that, " Corker said. Paul Ryan
US
House Speaker Paul Ryan, following Trump's remarks on Russia on Monday,
said there was "no question" that Moscow interfered in the U.S. 2016
election and that Trump "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.
The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and
putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy," Ryan said in a
statement. Adam Schiff
The top Democrat on
the US House of Representatives intelligence panel said Trump's comments
gave Putin permission to interfere in November's midterm election.
"President
Trump just attacked our intelligence agencies and law enforcement for
doing their jobs while standing next to a dictator who intervened in our
election to help elect Trump," he said on Twitter.
"Putin will take this as a green light to interfere in 2018, and it is. Cowardly and shameful."
President Trump just attacked our intelligence agencies and law enforcement for doing their jobs while standing next to a dictator who intervened in our election to help elect Trump.
Putin will take this as a green light to interfere in 2018, and it is. Cowardly and shameful.
Lindsey Graham
US
Senator Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican and member of the Senate
Armed Services Committee, on Monday said Trump's performance will send
Moscow a message of US "weakness."
Missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning regarding future elections.
This answer by President Trump will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness and create far more problems than it solves. (1/3)
Jeff Flake
Republican senator Jeff Flake says Trump blaming the US for Russian aggression is "shameful". Elizabeth Warren
Democrat senator Elizabeth Warren said Trump had embarassed the US. Joe Kennedy III
Democratic
Congressman Joe Kennedy III said Trump had "sold out our security,
democracy and credibility — to an adversary who continues to attack our
nation and undermine our values."
It’s a sad day when America can’t count on its President. @potus sold out our security, democracy and credibility— to an adversary who continues to attack our nation and undermine our values. 1/2
And that was only what we saw on live TV. @realDonaldTrump’s translator should come before Congress and testify as to what was said privately immediately. If Republicans are as outraged as they claim, then issue the subpoena today. 2/2
It’s a sad day when America can’t count on its President. @potus sold out our security, democracy and credibility— to an adversary who continues to attack our nation and undermine our values. 1/2
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