Protester manages to get within feet of Trump, throws Russian flags while shouting 'treason!'

Activist Ryan Clayton is restrained by police after throwing Russian flags at President Trump.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

last updated 24 October 2017

A protester managed to get into the Capitol building ahead of President Trump's lunch with Republican leaders and proceeded to throw Russian flags at the commander in chief while shouting "Trump is treason," The Intercept's Aída Chávez reports:

The protester identified himself as Americans Take Action president Ryan Clayton. In February, Clayton passed out Russian flags branded with "Trump" to attendees of the Conservative Political Action Conference. "The reason we trolled Trump with these flags is to draw attention to the Russian interference in our most recent American election, helping to decide the outcome in favor of the Trump campaign," Clayton wrote at the time. "Working with a foreign power to undermine our free and fair elections is treason. Let's be clear, Putin picked Trump because it's good for Russia, not because he's great for America."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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