This is called “damage control.” Donald Trump, arms crossed, reading from prepared text says he supports America’s intelligence agencies, claiming he misspoke in Helsinki. And Trump says he accepts that Russia interfered (and maybe others.)
Trump, reading from typed remarks, says what he meant to say in Helsinki is that he saw no reason why it would not be Russia that interfered in US election. pic.twitter.com/9t7BNsuUEE
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) July 17, 2018
Trump said it was just a one word slip-up.
Trump: "In a key sentence in my remarks, I said the word would instead of wouldn't. The sentence should have been…'I don't see any reason why it WOULDN'T be Russia.' Sort of a double negative. So you can put that in, and I think that probably clarifies things."
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) July 17, 2018
Why are we even going through this idiotic kabuki dance?? Does anyone really think that Trump believes anything he is being forced to say today?? What is the point???
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) July 17, 2018
Trump on negative coverage of Helsinki: “I said ‘what’s going on. What’s the big deal?’l
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) July 17, 2018
Meanwhile, on the hill, some in the GOP seemed to actually side with America.
"The Russians need to know that there are a lot of us who fully understand what happened in 2016, and it really better not happen again in 2018."
– Mitch McConnell pic.twitter.com/4cOLBOt6lJ
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) July 17, 2018