President Donald Trump is putting off his second meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin until after the first of the year and is blaming special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe as the reason.
‘The President believes that the next bilateral meeting with President Putin should take place after the Russia witch hunt is over, so we’ve agreed that it will be after the first of the year,’ National Security Adviser John Bolton said in a statement Wednesday.
‘Witch hunt’ is the president’s favorite way of referring to Mueller’s examination of Russia’s role in the 2016 election.
Trump and Putin’s next meeting will take place in 2019
President Trump is blaming Robert Mueller’s investigation for the delay of the next Putin meeting
Trump has been vocal on twitter in his criticism of Mueller’s probe
The statement also indicates the White House believes the investigation won’t be wrapped up this year, meaning it will be ongoing in November when voters head to the polls in the midterm elections.
Mueller has no hard deadline to wrap up his probe but Trump’s allies have been pushing him to have it finished by September.
Trump and other Republicans have expressed concerned the investigation will hurt the GOP at the ballot.
‘The Rigged Witch Hunt, headed by the 13 Angry Democrats (and now 4 more have been added, one who worked directly for Obama W.H.), seems intent on damaging the Republican Party’s chances in the November Election. This Democrat excuse for losing the ’16 Election never ends!,’ the president wrote on Twitter last week.
The delay also follows an allegation from Trump that Russia is meddling in the midterms – to help the Democrats.
‘I’m very concerned that Russia will be fighting very hard to have an impact on the upcoming Election. Based on the fact that no President has been tougher on Russia than me, they will be pushing very hard for the Democrats. They definitely don’t want Trump!,’ he tweeted on Tuesday.
He has offered no proof of his allegations.
Trump’s offer for a second meeting with his Russian counterpart came three days after his controversial meeting with him in Helsinki, when the president was heavily criticized by members of both parties and former intelligence officials for appearing to be deferential to Putin.
Officials indicated it would take place sometime this fall.
The president asked Putin to come to the White House this time.
But Putin played coy in response to the invitation, saying the leaders had other opportunities to meet.
The Kremlin’s failure to say yes was noticeable.
One Putin aide suggested the leaders could meet at the next G20 gathering, which takes place in Argentina at the end of November.
Russian President Vladimir Putin played coy in response to Trump’s invitation for a second sit down
President Trump was criticized for appearing deferential to Putin during their meeting
Special counsel Robert Mueller has no hard deadline to complete his probe
Trump had invited Putin to come to the White House this fall
And Trump is still facing calls to reveal what was said between the two men in their private, one-on-one meeting for almost two hours in Helsinki.
During their press conference following that July 16 meeting, Putin was asked whether he preferred Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.
‘Yes I did. Yes I did,’ he replied, ‘because he talked about bringing the U.S.-Russia relationship back to normal.’
‘Isn’t it natural to be sympathetic towards a person who is willing to restore the relationship with our country, who wants to work with us?’ he had said moments earlier.
In the same press conference, Trump took pains not to confront Putin head-on about conclusions from the U.S. Intelligence Community that Russia interfered with the election itself.
‘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.’
The president walked that comment back a day later in Washington, saying that he had meant to say ‘wouldn’t’ instead of ‘would.’