Some Republicans rebuke Trump; Democrats want action.
WASHINGTON — Republicans across the ideological spectrum rebuked President Donald Trump after Monday’s extraordinary news conference with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, with House Speaker Paul Ryan admonishing Trump and declaring, “There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia.”
Sen. John McCain, RAriz., called it “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.”
Ryan, R-Wis., was joined by other GOP congressional leaders — including Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the Senate majority leader — whose reactions ranged from disappointment to shock at the way Trump publicly dismissed the conclusions of his own national intelligence director that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, blamed the United States and Russia for poor relations between the two countries and seemingly invited Russia to cooperate with the investigation being led by Robert Mueller, the special counsel.
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., called it “bizarre and flatout wrong.” Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., declared it “shameful.”
But the most senior Republican leaders muted their response and avoided attaching Trump’s name to their generalized statements that they believe the intelligence agencies and still see Russia as an enemy. At least one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, delivered a fullthroated defense of the president: “I think it’s a good idea to have engagement, and I guess I don’t quite understand all of the people who have gone completely deranged criticizing the president.”
‘Not our friends’
McConnell, who rarely grants hallway interviews in the Capitol, uttered three terse sentences: “The Russians are not our friends. I’ve said that repeatedly, I say it again today. And I have complete confidence in our intelligence community and the findings that they have announced.” He refused to answer questions.
No Republican in Congress pledged any particular action to punish Trump, such as holding up his nominees, nor did they promise hearings or increased oversight.
It was left to McConnell’s Democratic counterpart, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, to demand actual action from Congress.
“In the entire history of our country, Americans have never seen a president of the United States support an American adversary the way President Trump has supported President Putin,” Schumer said in a statement that he later read to reporters, and repeated in a speech on the Senate floor.
He added: “A single, ominous question now hangs over the White House: What could possibly cause President Trump to put the interests of Russia over those of the United States?”
Schumer outlined four specific actions that he said Republicans should take: increase sanctions on Russia; demand that Trump’s national security team testify before Congress; defend the Department of Justice and other intelligence agencies; and demand that Trump press Putin to extradite the 12 Russian intelligence agents who were indicted Friday by Mueller.
But Republican leaders did not appear ready to shift tactics beyond measured words. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, told reporters that it was “wishful thinking” to expect Putin to agree to the extradition.
As Republican leaders struggled to come up with tactful ways to respond to a stunning news conference, responses from some of their colleagues marked a moment when Republicans could not defend their president.
McCain’s was undoubtedly the harshest.
“It is tempting to describe the news conference as a pathetic rout — as an illustration of the perils of under-preparation and inexperience,” said McCain, who is battling brain cancer. “But these were not the errant tweets of a novice politician. These were the deliberate choices of a president who seems determined to realize his delusions of a warm relationship with Putin’s regime without any regard for the true nature of his rule …”
Beyond Capitol Hill, even some personalities on Fox News signaled they were done defending the president’s actions.
Meeting ‘disgusting’
Neil Cavuto, a Fox Business Network host, called Trump’s performance “disgusting.”
“I’m sorry, it’s the only way I feel. It’s not a right or left thing to me, it’s just wrong,” he said.
Brit Hume, Fox News’ senior political analyst, wrote on Twitter, “Because Trump is unable to see past himself, he sees the Russia meddling investigation as only about him and the collusion claim, and thus calls it a witch hunt.”
In the House, Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said that it was “totally wrong” for the president to suggest “moral equivalency between the United States and Russia.”
And as to Trump’s declaration that Russia should cooperate with Mueller’s investigation, King said, “It would be like bringing ISIS into a joint terrorism task force.”