GOP Rep. Will Hurd says Trump is being 'manipulated' by Putin

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last updated 20 July 2018

In an op-ed for The New York Times published Thursday night, Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas), a former CIA officer, said he has seen Russian intelligence agents "manipulate many people. I never thought I would see the day when an American president would be one of them."

When President Trump stood next to Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday in Helsinki as he "spouted lies," it "confused many but should concern all Americans. By playing into Vladimir Putin's hands, the leader of the free world actively participated in a Russian disinformation campaign that legitimized Russian denial and weakened the credibility of the United States to both our friends and foes abroad."

It's up to lawmakers to "fulfill our oversight duty as well as keep the American people informed of the current danger," Hurd said, and he's been asked by constituents what Congress can do to protect Americans from Russian interference. Hurd said "if necessary," the U.S. should "send lethal weaponry to assist Ukraine in its fight against Russian-backed separatists," continue to enact sanctions, and fund intelligence agencies so they can have "the tools they need to confront Moscow and prevent this from happening in the future." Read Hurd's entire op-ed at The New York Times.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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