Arizona Senator John McCain slammed President Donald Trump for saying he believed that Russia didn’t meddle in the 2016 US election
Arizona Senator John McCain has slammed President Donald Trump for saying he believes that Russia didn’t meddle in the 2016 US election.
McCain’s critique comes after Trump said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s denial of interfering on Saturday during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
‘There’s nothing “America First” about taking the word of a KGB colonel over that of the American intelligence community,’ McCain, a Republican, said in a statement.
‘There’s no “principled realism” in cooperating with Russia to prop up the murderous Assad regime, which remains the greatest obstacle to a political solution that would bring an end to the bloodshed in Syria.
‘Vladimir Putin does not have America’s interests at heart. To believe otherwise is not only naive but also places our national security at risk.’
‘There’s nothing “America First” about taking the word of a KGB colonel over that of the American intelligence community,’ McCain said in a statement
At a separate side meeting with Putin during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Trump made his comments of support to reporters.
‘He said he didn’t meddle. He said he didn’t meddle,’ Trump said.
‘I asked him again. You can only ask so many times. I just asked him again. He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election. He did not do what they are saying he did.’
Trump continued stating that the Russian president always denied the accusations whenever the two had a chance to meet.
He added: ‘I believe, I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it.’
‘But he says, “I didn’t do that.” I think he is very insulted by it, which is not a good thing for our country.’
At a separate side meeting with Putin during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Trump made his comments of support to reporters
Also included in his remarks were a condemnation of former FBI director James Comey, former CIA director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
‘I mean, give me a break, they are political hacks,’ Trump said.
‘So you look at it, I mean, you have Brennan, you have Clapper, and you have Comey. Comey is proven now to be a liar and he is proven now to be a leaker. So you look at that and you have President Putin very strongly, vehemently says he had nothing to do with them.’
Trump also blasted former FBI director James Comey (left), former CIA director John Brennan (right) and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper
Trump said: ‘So you look at it, I mean, you have Brennan, you have Clapper (pictured), and you have Comey. Comey is proven now to be a liar and he is proven now to be a leaker. So you look at that and you have President Putin very strongly, vehemently says he had nothing to do with them’
The President’s continued rejection of the evidence that points to Russia meddling with the election has increased following indictments of Trump’s former campaign staff.
Last month, special counsel Robert Mueller indicted Trump’s former Paul Manafort, and his former campaign adviser, Rick Gates, for collusion with Russia.
He is said to be building a obstruction-of-justice case against Trump and he decision to fire Comey in May. While the White House had first asserted that the firing was in relation to Clinton, Trump would then tell NBC’s Lester Holt that ‘this Russia thing’ helped aid his decision.
George Papdopoulos, a foreign policy adviser for the campaign, was also arrested in July and plead guilty in October to one count of lying to federal agents about his contacts with the Russian government.
It is believed that he is now cooperating with further investigations.