President Trump is taking heat from all corners Monday after his summit and press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In an especially bruising statement, Senator John McCain called the press conference “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory” and said that taken in combination with his “bombastic and erratic conduct” with allies, it represented “a recent low point in the history of the American presidency.”
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McCain, who continues to regularly participate in the political fracas of the day despite his cancer diagnosis, issued the lengthy statement shortly after Trump boarded Air Force One to return to the United States from Helsinki.
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“President Trump proved not only unable, but unwilling to stand up to Putin. He and Putin seemed to be speaking from the same script as the president made a conscious choice to defend a tyrant against the fair questions of a free press, and to grant Putin an uncontested platform to spew propaganda and lies to the world,” McCain continued.
“No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant. Not only did President Trump fail to speak the truth about an adversary; but speaking for America to the world, our president failed to defend all that makes us who we are—a republic of free people dedicated to the cause of liberty at home and abroad,” said McCain, one of Trump’s leading critics on the right.
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A former director of the CIA went further on Monday, calling Trump’s remarks “treasonous.”
John Brennan, who led the CIA during President Obama’s second term and has been a frequent critic of Trump, tweeted immediately after the press conference that Trump’s action during the summit “rises to & exceeds the threshold of ‘high crimes & misdemeanors,’ ” referring to the standard used to determine reasons for impeachment of an American president.
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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???
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) July 16, 2018
RELATED: Opinion: Is Donald Trump committing treason?
During the news conference, Trump seemed to reject the US finding that Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential election, saying “I don't see any reason why” it would have.
Trump resisted when asked Monday to condemn Russian meddling in the election. Instead, he complained about a Democratic National Committee computer server and e-mails belonging to Hillary Clinton, the Democrat he defeated to win the presidency.
In the wake of the press conference, Trump was also rebuked by a member of his own administration.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, who was personally referenced by Trump Monday before the president went on to question his conclusion, issued a statement defending his agency’s findings.
“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 said.
Trump was met with a host of additional criticism immediately following the summit.
Speaking on air as the leaders wrapped up, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper called Trump’s remarks “disgraceful.”
“You have been watching perhaps one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president at a summit in front of a Russian leader truly that I have ever seen,” he said to viewers.
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The Senate minority leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, raised the question of why Trump had “put the interests of Russia over those of the United States.”
Millions of Americans will continue to wonder if the only possible explanation for this dangerous behavior is the possibility that President Putin holds damaging information over President Trump.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 16, 2018
Some other members of Trump’s own party were critical as well, if not to the same extent as McCain.
Outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan urged Trump to “appreciate that Russia is not our ally.”
“There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world. That is not just the finding of the American intelligence community but also the House Committee on Intelligence. The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy,” Ryan said in a statement.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Twitter the summit was “a missed opportunity” and warned the president not to hold onto Putin’s gift of a soccer ball.
Missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning regarding future elections.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 16, 2018
This answer by President Trump will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness and create far more problems than it solves. (1/3)
Outgoing Republican US Senator Jeff Flake called Trump’s performance “shameful” in a tweet.
I never thought I would see the day when our American President would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression. This is shameful.
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) July 16, 2018
Members of Massachusetts’ all-Democratic congressional delegation were quick to weigh in. Democratic Senator Ed Markey called the meeting the “Helsinki Humiliation” and said it was an embarrassment.
Trump wasted this opportunity, undermined his own intelligence community, and disgraced the office of the Presidency. Putin got everything he could have wanted from this meeting, while the U.S. got nothing. The #Helsinki Humiliation is a national embarrassment.
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) July 16, 2018
Senator Elizabeth Warren said on Twitter that Trump had again taken a public stage to “embrace a dictator” and called his remarks “disgraceful.”
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Once again, @realDonaldTrump takes to the international stage to embarrass America, undermine our institutions, weaken our alliances, & embrace a dictator. Russia interfered in our elections & attacked our democracy. Putin must be held accountable – not rewarded. Disgraceful.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 16, 2018
Representative Jim McGovern called the president “Putin’s puppet” and joined Markey and Warren in calling the remarks a “disgrace.”
72 hours ago, our own Justice Department indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers for interfering in our election -- but @realDonaldTrump STILL sides with Putin over U.S.
— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) July 16, 2018
He is Putin's puppet & his remarks are an utter disgrace. pic.twitter.com/6PU5Nu3zHO
Representative Bill Keating said Trump’s words were difficult to distinguish from Russian propaganda.
Representative Katherine Clark said Trump showed loyalty to Putin over the “people & institutions that work in our defense.”
#Helsinki was our moment to hold Russia accountable, to stand up for the US, democracy & the foundation of our gov't: free & fair elections. Trump disgraced the people & institutions that work in our defense by instead showing his loyalty to Putin. Both disgusting and dangerous.
— Katherine Clark (@RepKClark) July 16, 2018
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.