Putin ‘insulted’ by claims Russia meddled in US poll
Trump says he is prepared to believe assurances from Moscow, ignoring his own intelligence services
VLADIMIR PUTIN told Donald Trump there was no Russian interference in the US election and that he was “very insulted” by the mere suggestion, the US president said yesterday.
“He said he didn’t meddle,” said Mr Trump, speaking to reporters on Air Force One during his 11-day Asia trip.
“I asked him again. You can only ask so many times. But I just asked him again, and he said he absolutely did not meddle in our election. He did not do what they’re saying he did.”
US intelligence agencies are unanimously agreed that Russia attempted to swing the election in Mr Trump’s favour, through online campaigns and the production of “fake news”.
Robert Mueller and Congress are both investigating whether Mr Trump’s team colluded with the Russians to ensure victory. Mr Trump has been loathe to accept his own intelligence agencies’ conclusions, and has vehemently denied any collusion between his team and Russia.
He described the former heads of the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency – who have all testified to the extent of Russian interference – as “political hacks”. And yesterday he seemed to accept Mr Putin’s assurances above the US officials.
“Look, I can’t stand there and argue with him,” he said. “I’d rather have him get out of Syria, to be honest with you. I’d rather have him – you know, work with him on the Ukraine than standing and arguing about whether or not – because that whole thing was set up by the Democrats.”
He said the Russian president was angered by the suggestion that Moscow was attempting to interfere. “Every time he sees me, he says, ‘I didn’t do that.’ And I believe, I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it. I think he’s very insulted by it, if you want to know the truth.”
Mr Trump’s acceptance of the Russian president’s assurances were greeted with horror by critics. “Putin is trained in deception,” said Michael McFaul, US ambassador to Russia until 2014. “The KGB (FSB/SVR) are pros at it. That our president doesn’t understand this basic fact is frightening.”
Adam Schiff, the most senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, expressed dismay at Mr Trump’s taking Mr Putin’s word “over the solid evidence of our own intelligence agencies.”
In Vietnam last night, Mr Trump attended a state banquet in Hanoi, ahead of a welcoming and deal-signing ceremony, with Vietnam’s top leadership.
Much of Mr Trump’s tour so far – through Japan, South Korea and China – has focused on North Korea. Yesterday North Korea issued its first response, calling the president’s tour a “warmonger’s visit for confrontation”, saying it was designed to take away Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons – which it called “self-defensive nuclear deterrence”. It said Mr Trump’s warnings “can never frighten us or put a stop to our advance”.
North Korea called the president’s tour a ‘warmonger’s visit for confrontation’
Trump’s next stop is the Philippines for a two-day visit that will include a summit of South-east Asian leaders, capping off the 11-day visit to Asia.
There he will hold talks with President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine leader who is waging a heavily criticised war on alleged drug dealers, and has boasted of killing multiple people.
On the eve of his meeting with Mr Trump, Mr Duterte claimed to have stabbed someone to death when he was 16.
“You f--- with my countrymen, I won’t let you off the hook,” he said.