AfterDonald Trumpaccepted Russian PresidentVladmir Putin‘s denial of interfering in the 2016 presidential election—despite the findings of Trump’s own U.S. intelligence agencies that Putin’s forces launched a cyber attack on the U.S. with the intent of disrupting the election—even the president’s usual supporterslambasted him.
At Fox News, which tends to broadcast Trump-friendly opinion shows, analyst Brit Hume tweeted that when Trump was asked about who he believes on Russian interference, Trump’s “vague and rambling non-answer, with renewed complaints about Hillary’s server” was a “lame response, to say the least.”
Fox News’ chief political anchor Bret Baier tweeted that he thought the press conference was “surreal.”
Guy Benson, a Fox News contributor, called Trump’s answer on whether he believed U.S. intelligence or Putin “atrocious.”
He also tweeted that Trump’s support of support of Putin is “rooted in an embarrassing, juvenile, insecure, consuming obsession over his own legitimacy.”
“Easily one of his worst days as president,” he wrote. “And again, juxtapose that performance with how he just treated our European & North American allies.”
Fox Business Network’s Neil Cavuto called Trump’s news conference — during which he never criticized Putin — “disgusting,” adding that “It’s not a right or left thing. It’s just wrong.”
Top Republicans in Congress, known not to criticize Trump — at least publicly — are also slamming him.
House SpeakerPaul Ryan, issued apress release contradicting Trump, saying “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.”
Senator Lindsay Graham Tweeted that Trump should check the soccer ball which Putin gave at their meeting for “listening devices.”
“President Trump proved not only unable, but unwilling to stand up to Putin,” McCain said. “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.”
And Brennan, who served in the administrations of both PresidentBarack Obamaand President George W. Bush, had a simple, urgent question to GOP lawmakers and media influencers who were also troubled on Monday: “Republican Patriots: Where are you???”
source: people.com
