The White House was forced to engage in its second major walk-back of the week after President Trump appeared to answer ‘no’ to a question about Russian meddling that his spokeswoman says reporters misunderstood.
Hours after the on-camera statement, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump was simply trying to end an informal period for questions.
‘The president said thank you very much – he was saying “No” to answering questions, Sanders said at a mid-afternoon press briefing.
Sanders said that she was in the room and ‘interpreted’ the remark the way that she was characterizing it in her public comments and that reporters challenging her were wrong.
President Donald Trump says he does not believe that Russia is targeting the United States anymore
But her explanation failed to account for Trump’s immediate decision to respond to another question, where he spoke at length about how he was tougher than any other U.S. president on Russia.
And it contradicted the account of multiple reporters who were in the room.
Sanders said that there are no elections taking place at present, so Russia could not be interfering yet. ‘But he does believe that they would target, certainly, elections again.’
‘Certainly like I just said we believe that the threats still exist which is why we are taking steps to prevent it,’ Sanders said.
The walk-back came just a day after Trump himself issued a clarification of his own comments on the Russia threat, saying he said ‘would’ when he meant ‘wouldn’t.’
Trump waited 24 hours to issue a clarification, even though he has WiFi aboard the presidential aircraft and could have tweeted a correction en route to Washington.
On Wednesday, the White House waited until its daily briefing to challenge reporters’ interpretation of the president’s response to the question about efforts in 2018 to meddle in elections.
‘This is the first thing that the president said after the question was asked and then he said no, I’m not answering any more questions,’ Sanders added when pressed about why ABC correspondent Cecilia Vega, who asked the question, and others in the room took the president to be commenting on the topic of the question.
‘She asked for clarification and he didn’t answer the follow up,’ Sanders said. ‘I talked to the president. He wasn’t answering that question. He was saying no, he wasn’t answering questions. And I’ve stated what our position is.’
![Sanders said that she was in the room and 'interpreted' the remark the way that she was characterizing it in her public comments and that reporters challenging her were wrong](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/21/4E61AC8200000578-5967477-image-a-71_1531945917149.jpg)
Sanders said that she was in the room and ‘interpreted’ the remark the way that she was characterizing it in her public comments and that reporters challenging her were wrong
Vega attempted to defend herself, but Sanders, who had called on the ABC reporter earlier in the briefing, refused to let her have the floor.
On Twitter, the Daily Beast’s Asawin Suebsaeng, also in the room, said: ‘I was standing right there and the reporters question was clear despite minimal “crosstalk.” It was clear to me and other folks in the room I’ve spoken to that he was addressing her Q, I heard him say “no” very clearly, then he proceeded to further address the question. ‘
Vega said on her feed that the president ‘was looking directly at me when he spoke.’
‘Yes, I believe he heard me clearly. He answered two of my questions.’
She published a transcript of the exchange that made it clear that Trump said ‘no’ twice in response to her questions about ongoing meddling.
Trump said at the Wednesday morning meeting with his Cabinet that Russia was not targeting the U.S. – in spite of a dire warning from one of his intelligence chiefs that the Russian threat was flashing red.
He went on to say that no president had ‘ever’ been as tough on Russia as him.
‘Is Russia still targeting the U.S.?’ asked Vega, a pool reporter who was with him in the Oval Office.
Trump said, ‘no,’ shaking his head. She asked him again. He said, ‘no,’ a second time.
He went on to claim: ‘There’s been no president ever as tough as I have been on Russia.’
He emphasized the word ‘ever’ in the statement, delivered at the end of his Cabinet meeting.
Trump cited sanctions on Russia and the ambassadors the U.S. says are spies and kicked out earlier this year. He also brought up his airstrikes on Russian-supported Syria after the nation’s dictator carried out a chemical weapons attack.
‘I think President Putin knows that better than anybody,’ he said. ‘Certainly a lot better than the media.’
Trump did not elaborate on how he got the assurance – or whether it is among the many unknown topics that came up during his two-hour meeting alone with Putin, with no staff, other than interpreters.
The November elections are being closely watched, not only as a measure of whether U.S. sovereignty gets compromised. Should Democrats take the House, their agenda would include a sudden increase in oversight of the administration and possibly a move toward impeachment.
As a preview, congressional Democrats are asking to bring in the State Department translator who was in the room when Trump spoke to Putin about election interference on Monday.
![Former NSA chief Michael Hayden reacted with astonishment at the latest developments on Russia](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/19/4E61804000000578-5967477-image-a-7_1531938923765.jpg)
Former NSA chief Michael Hayden reacted with astonishment at the latest developments on Russia
After Trump in Helsinki declared his belief in Putin’s ‘powerful’ denial Russia meddled in the 2016 election, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats rebuffed him in a written statement.
‘We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy, and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of our national security,’ Coats wrote.
Coats warned this month in advance of the summit that ‘warning lights are blinking red again’ about the threat to the nation. He said of Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, ‘Russia has been the most aggressive foreign actor, no question.’
He compared ‘alarming’ activities to the run-up to Sept. 11th. ‘The system was blinking red. Here we are, nearly two decades later, and I’m here to say the warning lights are blinking red again,’ Coats said.
Trump cited sanctions on Russia and the diplomats the U.S. says are spies and kicked out earlier this year (although he called them ambassadors). He also brought up his airstrikes on Russian-supported Syria after the nation’s dictator carried out a chemical weapons attack.
‘I think President Putin knows that better than anybody,’ he said. ‘Certainly a lot better than the media.’
![President Donald Trump, center, speaks while Mike Pompeo, U.S. secretary of state, left, and James Mattis, US secretary of defense, listen during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, June 21, 2018](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/18/4E613B6500000578-5967477-image-a-4_1531934021022.jpg)
President Donald Trump, center, speaks while Mike Pompeo, U.S. secretary of state, left, and James Mattis, US secretary of defense, listen during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, June 21, 2018
The president said, ‘He said understands it and he’s not happy about it and he shouldn’t be happy about because there’s never been a president as tough on Russia as I have been.’
The system was blinking red. Here we are nearly two decades later and I’m here to say the warning lights are blinking red again.’ — Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats on daily cyber attacks
After Trump made his statement on meddling, national security lawyer Bradley Moss tweeted: ‘This literally contradicts exactly what the Director of National Intelligence just said. Point blank.’
That prompted a response from Gen. Michael Hayden, the former head of the National Security Agency. ‘OMG. OMG. OMG.’ Hayden wrote.
Trump addressed the drama at a Cabinet meeting after claiming ‘haters’ would rather go to war with Russia than see him get along with President Vladimir Putin in what he labeled ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome.’
‘Some people HATE the fact that I got along well with President Putin of Russia. They would rather go to war than see this. It’s called Trump Derangement Syndrome!,’ he wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning.
![Trump said no U.S. president had 'ever' been tougher on Russia than him](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/18/4E52241100000578-5967477-image-a-5_1531934024224.jpg)
Trump said no U.S. president had ‘ever’ been tougher on Russia than him
The president abandoned any pretense of an apology for his disastrous press conference in Helsinki on Monday, in which he backed Russia’s claim they did not interfere in the 2016 presidential election over American intelligence reports that provided clear evidence Moscow meddled.
His series of early morning tweets on Wednesday were defiant in their defense of his actions in Finland.
Trump also is claiming those at the ‘higher ends of intelligence loved my press conference performance in Helsinki’ and that it infuriated ‘haters who wanted to see a boxing match.’
He did not cite the name of intelligence officials inside or outside his administration who said so. Former CIA Director Leon Panetta said Tuesday that after watching Trump in Helsinki there is ‘no question’ the Russians have something which intimidates Trump.
‘So many people at the higher ends of intelligence loved my press conference performance in Helsinki. Putin and I discussed many important subjects at our earlier meeting. We got along well which truly bothered many haters who wanted to see a boxing match. Big results will come!,’ the president wrote on Twitter.
![Trump abandoned any pretense of an apology for his disastrous press conference](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/12/4E5E72F000000578-0-image-a-4_1531913663478.jpg)
Trump abandoned any pretense of an apology for his disastrous press conference
![He was defiant in a series of early morning tweets on Wednesday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/12/4E5E69E600000578-0-image-a-1_1531913353411.jpg)
He was defiant in a series of early morning tweets on Wednesday
![He claims the meeting with Vladimir Putin will prove to be a great success](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/12/4E5E6A3800000578-0-image-a-2_1531913360935.jpg)
He claims the meeting with Vladimir Putin will prove to be a great success
![Trump was on twitter rant Wednesday morning](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/18/4E5E6A4A00000578-5967477-Trump_was_on_twitter_rant_Wednesday_morning-a-7_1531936442056.jpg)
Trump was on twitter rant Wednesday morning
However, shortly after his press conference aired and the criticism from both senior Republican and Democrat lawmakers was rolling in, his own Director of National Intelligence, Dan Coats, released a statement countering the claims Trump made in Helsinki.
Coats slammed the president’s doubts on Moscow’s role in the presidential contest and said it was clear Russia was ‘meddling.’
‘We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy,’ he said in a statement on Monday, ‘and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of our national security.’
Trump had showed contrition on Wednesday and said that he accepts his intelligence community’s assessment that Russia meddled in the election – although it could be other people also – and said he meant to say in his press conference that he had no reason to doubt the professionals within his administration.
‘I accept our intelligence community conclusion that Russian meddling in the 2016 election took place,’ Trump said, reading from a statement at an event designed to do damage control. ‘Could be other people also, a lot of people out there,’ he added. ‘There’s no collusion at all.’
In Trump’s tweets on Wednesday morning, most of which he wrote before the morning news shows began airing, he also is claiming his meeting with his Russian counterpart will be an even greater success than his meeting earlier in the trip with NATO leaders, which got off to a rocky start as he got into a show down with officials at their first breakfast meeting and rumors of tension among the world leaders grew to the point the president called a hastily arranged news conference to shoot down rumors the United States was going to leave the organization.
‘While the NATO meeting in Brussels was an acknowledged triumph, with billions of dollars more being put up by member countries at a faster pace, the meeting with Russia may prove to be, in the long run, an even greater success. Many positive things will come out of that meeting,’ Trump wrote.
And he got in one final tweet about the situation, noting Russia promised to help him with North Korea, where the president hopes to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.
‘Russia has agreed to help with North Korea, where relationships with us are very good and the process is moving along. There is no rush, the sanctions remain! Big benefits and exciting future for North Korea at end of process!,’ the president touted.
Trump’s tweets on Wednesday showed a shift in tone from the day before, when, battered by criticism from all sides, the White House moved to try and contain the fallout, having the president himself clarify the situation.
Officials brought in the press to a previously arranged meeting with Republican lawmakers to give Trump an on-camera chance to make amends.
Glancing at a printed statement that he had marked up with hand-written edits throughout his remarks, Trump said he was surprised by the firestorm that awaited him when he returned to Washington D.C. on Monday and realized he needed to ‘clear up’ his comments after reviewing the transcript of his presser with Putin.
![Trump's tweets on Wednesday marked a change tone from his contrite one on Tuesday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/12/4E59C48300000578-5966253-image-a-12_1531915015174.jpg)
Trump’s tweets on Wednesday marked a change tone from his contrite one on Tuesday
![Trump said Tuesday he was surprised by the firestorm that awaited him when he returned to Washington D.C.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/12/4E59BA1800000578-5966253-image-a-13_1531915151510.jpg)
Trump said Tuesday he was surprised by the firestorm that awaited him when he returned to Washington D.C.
The president said that he has the ‘greatest respect’ for his intelligence chiefs and claimed his misspoke – leaving a word out of one of his statements in his press conference.
‘The sentence should have been, I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be Russia,’ Trump said. ‘So you can put that in. I think that probably clarifies things pretty good by itself.’
The president was slammed by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and former intelligence officials for his remarks with Putin in Helsinki.
Former CIA director John Brennan, a staunch Trump critic, was one of the most harshest voices after the press conference, calling it ‘nothing short of treasonous.’
He also accused the president of being ‘wholly in the pocket of Putin.’
‘Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of ‘high crimes & misdemeanors.’ It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???,’ tweeted Brennan, who served as the nation’s intelligence chief under President Barack Obama.
Trump also wouldn’t call Russia an adversary in an interview with Tucker Carlson taped after his explosive press conference and before he read a statement acknowledging Russia did interfere in the U.S. elections.
Carlson asked the president of Russia was the nation’s ‘chief adversary.’
‘Well they are a strong military,’ Trump said, complimenting Russia. ‘But their economy is much smaller as you know than China and I don’t want to even use the word ‘adversary,’ we can all work together,’ he said.
![President Donald Trump wouldn't call Russia an adversary in an interview taped after his explosive press conference](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/01/4E5BF4DC00000578-5964479-image-a-1_1531874300317.jpg)
President Donald Trump wouldn’t call Russia an adversary in an interview taped after his explosive press conference
![Trump conducted the interview with Fox host Tucker Carlson after his Helsinki press conference where he created a firestorm by saying he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin over the U.S. Intelligence Community, which concluded Russia did hack](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/18/4E5BF4AD00000578-5967477-Trump_conducted_the_interview_with_Fox_host_Tucker_Carlson_after-a-11_1531936444584.jpg)
Trump conducted the interview with Fox host Tucker Carlson after his Helsinki press conference where he created a firestorm by saying he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin over the U.S. Intelligence Community, which concluded Russia did hack
‘We can do great. Everybody can do well and we can live in peace, but I think it’s very, very important and I’ve watched your show a lot and I see how you’re talking about the – really the magnificent size of China, you look at the size and what they’ve done in a fairly short period of time, that’s because of a lot of bad leadership on behalf of the United States. We allowed that to happen,’ Trump said.
The Fox host also asked Trump what he thought of the timing of the indictments of 12 Russian spies accused of carrying out the hack – perhaps suggesting the Justice Department wanted to influence his summit with Putin. Trump was informed in advance.
‘Well, I don’t think of the timing as much as I think of other timing. Barack Obama was President. I wasn’t President when this happened. Barack Obama was the President of the United States when all of this – this was pre – this was when I was getting elected, so I was being elected, and I guess, I assumed this stuff all took place in that area or before,’ Trump said, keeping blame on his predecessor as he has done on Twitter.
![The Fox host also asked Trump what he thought of the timing of the indictments of 12 Russian spies accused of carrying out the hack ¿ perhaps suggesting the Justice Department wanted to influence his summit with Putin](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/18/4E5BF4A800000578-5967477-The_Fox_host_also_asked_Trump_what_he_thought_of_the_timing_of_t-a-12_1531936446248.jpg)
The Fox host also asked Trump what he thought of the timing of the indictments of 12 Russian spies accused of carrying out the hack – perhaps suggesting the Justice Department wanted to influence his summit with Putin
![Putin is pictured during the joint press conference with Trump in Helsinki, Finland](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/02/4E51DB9100000578-5964479-Putin_is_pictured_during_the_joint_press_conference_with_Trump_i-a-4_1531875808700.jpg)
Putin is pictured during the joint press conference with Trump in Helsinki, Finland
‘And he was President and they informed him of it and he did nothing. And then after I won, see, he thought Hillary was going to win, after I won, he said, ‘Oh, this is a big deal,’ Trump continued.
‘Well, it wasn’t a big deal as long as she won. So it’s a disgrace, and frankly, it’s a disgrace what’s happening to our country,’ he said.
Carlson also brought up Trump’s rant about Democratic servers during his Helsinki press conference.
‘Would be possible for you to direct the Department of Justice, FBI to take possession of the server and have, assuming no government investigators looked at it, which seems to be case right now, and gets to the bottom of it,’ he asked.
The DNC handed over data that a computer security firm pulled from the hacked server during the campaign, and the latest indictment makes detailed references to information on it. Trump brought up the server as well as raising a conspiracy theory about a Democratic IT staffer who worked for Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and who pleaded guilty to a bank fraud charge.
![Carlson also brought up Trump's rant about Democratic servers during his Helsinki press conference. Trump (pictured above) speaks to members of the media as he meets with members of Congress in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Tuesday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/19/4E5BD1E900000578-5967477-Carlson_also_brought_up_Trump_s_rant_about_Democratic_servers_du-a-6_1531937828149.jpg)
Carlson also brought up Trump’s rant about Democratic servers during his Helsinki press conference. Trump (pictured above) speaks to members of the media as he meets with members of Congress in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Tuesday
!['As you traveled around Europe and looked at Europe over the years, can you think of a place that has been improved by mass immigration or movements of large embers of refugees?' Carlson asked the president, who has said immigration is ruining Europe's culture](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/01/4E5BD1E000000578-5964479-_As_you_traveled_around_Europe_and_looked_at_Europe_over_the_yea-a-3_1531872120499.jpg)
‘As you traveled around Europe and looked at Europe over the years, can you think of a place that has been improved by mass immigration or movements of large embers of refugees?’ Carlson asked the president, who has said immigration is ruining Europe’s culture
‘So as I’ve told you and the answer is absolutely, it is possible, and maybe at some point, it will be done, but I’ve wanted to stay out. My Department of Justice is the one branch, the one group that I’m very little involved and the same with the FBI,’ Trump said, although he later laced into FBI lawyer Peter Stzrok.
‘Am I disappointed that they’re not looking at all of the crooked things taking place on the other side? Like the Pakistani man who left with these three servers- knew everything about Schultz, new everything, new Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and I think he had three servers. I believe they even have them, and they don’t want to use them,’ Trump said.
‘Or the DNC, where the server was never taken by the FBI. They went in there and [Clinton campaign chair John] Podesta or somebody threw them out of the office. They said, ‘Get out of here.’
‘Maybe if they go after other people, like there’s no tomorrow. So, I have purposely – you understand that. I spoke to you about it before. As they said, ‘You’re winning, don’t get involved,’ because I don’t want to have people accuse me of anything, so I’ve stayed very much uninvolved, but am I allowed to be involved? Totally. Will I be involved? We’ll have to see as it goes along,’ Trump said.
Trump turned on Brennan, the ex-CIA director who accused of treason after his meeting with Putin, telling Fox News in an interview airing Tuesday: ‘I think he’s a very bad person.’
![Former CIA director John Brennan is one of Trump's harshest critics](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/02/4E5263D200000578-5964479-Former_CIA_director_John_Brennan_is_one_of_Trump_s_harshest_crit-a-5_1531875809012.jpg)
Former CIA director John Brennan is one of Trump’s harshest critics
![A firestorm of criticism rained down on the president after his press conference with Putin](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/18/4E54361100000578-5967477-A_firestorm_of_criticism_rained_down_on_the_president_after_his_-a-3_1531936441980.jpg)
A firestorm of criticism rained down on the president after his press conference with Putin
Brennan’s tweeted criticism on Monday shortly after the press conference with the Russian president included a call for impeachment.
On Tuesday the former chief spy doubled down, telling NBC’s Today show that he was right to warn about treason.
‘When I use the term, this is nothing short of treasonous I equate it to the betrayal of one’s nation, aiding, abetting, giving comfort to an enemy,’ he said.
‘The president had the chance to warn Putin, to tell him, ‘Do not do this again’ and he failed to even meet the minimum standards of that.’
![He slammed Trump on twitter after the president's press conference with Putin](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/01/4E5263BE00000578-5964479-He_slammed_Trump_on_twitter_after_the_president_s_press_conferen-a-5_1531872120991.jpg)
He slammed Trump on twitter after the president’s press conference with Putin
![President Trump and President Putin spoke to the press after their meeting in Helsinki](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/18/01/4E50918000000578-5964479-President_Trump_and_President_Putin_spoke_to_the_press_after_the-a-4_1531872120793.jpg)
President Trump and President Putin spoke to the press after their meeting in Helsinki
But Trump equated the former Obama official to a series of his favorite targets at the FBI: anti-Trump lovers Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, fired director James Comey and former deputy director Andrew McCabe.
‘I also think that when you watch Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, when you watch all of the things that have happened – Comey, you take a look at that and McCabe who has got some pretty big problems I assume, you look at the deception, the lies – these are people that in my opinion are truly bad people, and they’re being exposed for what they are,’ the president said.
Putin has denied Russia had any role in the election interference.
Asked if he believed his Russian counterpart or his intelligence chiefs. ‘I don’t see any reason why it would be’ Russia, the president said.
‘I have great confidence in my intelligence people,’ he added, ‘but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today. And what he did is an incredible offer. He offered to have the people working on the case come and work with their investigators with respect to the 12 people. I think that’s an incredible offer.’
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who served during the Obama administration, said the press conference was ‘truly unbelievable.’
‘On the world’s stage, in front of the entire globe, the President of the United States essentially capitulated and seems intimidated by Vladimir Putin. So it was amazing and very, very disturbing,’ Clapper said on CNN Monday afternoon.
Putin had also said at Monday’s presser that he did not have any dirt on Trump or his family.
The Russian president said he didn’t know Trump was in Moscow for the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.
‘When President Trump was in Moscow back then, I didn’t even know that he was in Moscow,’ he said. ‘Please disregard these issues and don’t think about this anymore again.’
The president said if the Russians had anything, it would have come out.
‘If they had it, it would have been out long ago,’ Trump said.