President comes under fire for attacking US institutions and going soft on Moscow

Attacking Democrats from foreign soil, while calling the US approach to Russia “foolish” and the Mueller investigation “a disaster”, Donald Trump lit a firestorm at home, as members of both parties criticised his comments and his weak handling of Vladimir Putin.

Even before his first summit with Mr Putin, critics of the US president were sceptical about his intentions and the Democratic opposition called on him to cancel the meeting after the indictment of 12 Russian military intelligence members by the US Justice Department on Friday. But as Mr Trump broke tradition in Helsinki and criticised Democrats, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Mueller investigation from foreign soil, he was seen as having crossed a line and handed a win to the Russian president.

“If Mr Putin is a religious man, he must think he died and went to heaven,” Daniel Shapiro, a former US ambassador to Israel and Obama National Security Council official, told The National.

Leaving Helsinki with no tangible concessions from Russia while giving Moscow a “a total pass on illegal annexation of Crimea, on Russian chemical attacks in the UK” the meeting was “game, set, and match to Putin” Mr Shapiro said.

The former US official said that while testing the ground on US-Russian co-operation in Syria “is a welcome focus” from the summit, there “were no specifics ... namely, how to ensure Iranian forces are expelled from Syria”. Mr Trump, Mr Shapiro said, kept “silent on the genocidal Assad regime’s Russian-sponsored victory, and on Mr Putin’s ridiculous claims to be concerned about humanitarian suffering in Syria”.

But it was Mr Trump’s attacks on US policy of his predecessors and the inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections that raised eyebrows in Washington.

“Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to and exceeds the threshold of high crimes and misdemeanours. It was nothing short of treasonous,” John Brennan, former director of the CIA, tweeted:

“Missed opportunity” and an “answer by President Trump [that] will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness”, said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. He even advised him on checking the football gift he was given by Mr Putin for listening devices:

Another Republican Senator, Jeff Flake, called Mr Trump’s words shameful.

“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. This is shameful,” said Mr Flake, who is retiring in November.

Democratic senators pounded their attacks. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who may run in 2020, said Mr Trump had embarrassed America, and embraced a dictator.

“Once again, @realDonaldTrump takes to the international stage to embarrass America, undermine our institutions, weaken our alliances, and embrace a dictator. Russia interfered in our elections and attacked our democracy. Putin must be held accountable – not rewarded. Disgraceful.”

Even those around Mr Trump were reportedly surprised by his statements. CNN said a White House official texted one of its reporters asking “how bad was that?” in reference to the press conference. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refrained from commenting.