In His Latest Account of His Meeting With Putin, Trump Says He Laid Down the Law
Regardless, the constantly changing stories frayed nerves among Republicans.
Speaking before Mr. Trump’s interview on CBS was aired, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said that he was “dumbfounded” by the president’s latest denial. “We need to reconcile the difference between him and the intelligence community,” he said. “I agree with the intelligence community. Tell me why I’m wrong, Mr. President.”
Senator Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said he had no reason to doubt the warnings from intelligence agencies about November’s midterm elections. “He ought to look at the intelligence,” Mr. Burr, a Republican, said of Mr. Trump.
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said Mr. Trump’s rejection of American intelligence put the country’s security at risk.
“This president continuing to deny the reality of our country under assault by Russia and other parties, it raises questions not only about Trump’s credibility but his commitment to our nation’s security,” Mr. Warner said.
Mr. Trump also came under sharp criticism for discussing an agreement with Mr. Putin under which Russian authorities would be allowed to question several American citizens it claims were involved in illegal dealings with a London-based financier and longtime critic of Mr. Putin, William F. Browder.
On Monday, Mr. Trump said Mr. Putin had made an “incredible” offer: to allow the special counsel in the Russia inquiry, Robert S. Mueller III, to interview 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted last week on a charge of hacking the Democratic National Committee and the 2016 Clinton campaign, in return for access to these Americans.
Among the names on the list, a Russian official told the Interfax news agency, is that of Michael A. McFaul, who served as American ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama. Mr. McFaul was sharply critical of the Russian government during his posting in Moscow, and has continued to speak and write regularly about Mr. Putin.