What does Donald Trump really believe about Russian meddling?
US president backtracks on comments denying Russia interfered in US election
Donald Trump has bowed to widespread condemnation of his comments denying Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, following a summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.
The New York Times says Trump was “under unrelenting pressure from congressional Republicans, his own advisers and his allies on Fox News”, forcing him to claim that he had “misspoken” during a subsequent news conference.
Speaking about Russian interference in US elections during the press conference on Monday, Trump said: “I have President Putin; he just said it’s not Russia. I will say this: I don’t see any reason why it would be.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
However, yesterday Trump tried to walk back that comment, reading from a script: “The sentence should have been, ‘I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be Russia,’ …sort of a double negative. So you can put that in, and I think that probably clarifies things pretty good.”
Trump also voiced his support for US intelligence agencies, “a day after he had refused to accept their findings on Russia's election interference over Putin's denials”, CNN says.
The Washington Post notes that Trump appeared to regularly stray from his prepared remarks, a tactic that has traditionally played well with his support base.
“I accept our intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election took place,” Trump read from the script, before adding an off-script remark: “Could be other people also. A lot of people out there”.
So does the US president believe Russia meddled in the 2016 US election? To determine what he thinks, it is important to focus on the unscripted part of his statement, said CNN's Chris Cillizza.
“Focus on the five words at the end there: ‘Could be other people also’”, Cillizza said. “What those five words reveal is that Trump is still not at all convinced that Russia was the one who interfered in the 2016 election - or, at a minimum, that Russia acted alone. Which means that in purposely trying to fix the mess he made by suggesting he didn't totally believe his own intelligence community, Trump made the point that he doesn't totally believe his own intelligence community.”
Regardless of his own views, the US president’s attempt to clarify his position did little to allay the criticisms of his performance in Helsinki. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted: “President Trump tried to squirm away from what he said yesterday. It’s twenty-four hours too late, and in the wrong place.”
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Silversea cruise review: a Central and North American adventure
The Week Recommends An incredible journey featuring cultural exploration, cooking classes, comfort and more
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published
-
'Communist Cuba grasps a lifeline: capitalists'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Russia gains as Ukraine awaits US aid
Speed Read Ukrainian forces have retreated from several villages as the situation at the front line worsens
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Haiti interim council, prime minister sworn in
Speed Read Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns amid surging gang violence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Myanmar: the Spring Revolution and the downfall of the generals
Talking Point An armed protest movement has swept across the country since the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi was overthrown in 2021
By The Week Staff Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is there a peaceful way forward for Israel and Iran?
Today's Big Question Tehran has initially sought to downplay the latest Israeli missile strike on its territory
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How powerful is Iran?
Today's big question Islamic republic is facing domestic dissent and 'economic peril' but has a vast military, dangerous allies and a nuclear threat
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US, Israel brace for Iran retaliatory strikes
Speed Read An Iranian attack on Israel is believed to be imminent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published