US lawmakers, both Republican and Democratic, and former intelligence officials have condemned US President Donald Trump's failure to warn Russian President Vladimir Putin about 2016 US election meddling at a Helsinki summit.
Here's what some have had to say:
REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN STATEMENT:
"Today's press conference in Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory. The damage inflicted by President Trump's naivete, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate ... The summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake."
"No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant."
REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM ON TWITTER:
"Missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning ... This answer by President Trump will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness and create far more problems than it solves."
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DEMOCRATIC LEADER NANCY PELOSI STATEMENT:
"President Trump's weakness in front of Putin was embarrassing, and proves that the Russians have something on the President, personally, financially or politically."
SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL TO REPORTERS:
"The Russians are not our friends and I entirely believe the assessment of our intelligence community."
HOUSE SPEAKER PAUL RYAN IN A STATEMENT:
"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."
SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER AT A NEWS CONFERENCE:
"In the history of our country, Americans have never seen a president of the United States support an adversary in the way Trump supported President Putin."
"He took the word of the KGB over the men and women of the CIA."
REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN CORNYN TO REPORTERS:
"Engaging with even somebody as evil as Putin is necessary ... the way I interpret it is the president was trying to maintain some rapport with him but clearly I disagree with Mr. Putin and I agree with our intelligence officials that they did attempt to meddle in the election."
REPUBLICAN SENATOR JEFF FLAKE ON TWITTER:
"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."
DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE ADAM SCHIFF ON TWITTER:
"President Trump just attacked our intelligence agencies and law enforcement for doing their jobs while standing next to a dictator who intervened in our election to help elect Trump."
"Putin will take this as a green light to interfere in 2018, and it is. Cowardly and shameful."
TRUMP ALLY REPUBLICAN NEWT GINGRICH:
"The most serious mistake" that "must be corrected immediately".
FORMER CIA DIRECTOR JOHN BRENNAN ON TWITTER:
"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???"
FORMER FBI CHIEF JAMES COMEY, WHO WAS SACKED BY TRUMP, ON TWITTER:
"This was the day an American president stood on foreign soil next to a murderous lying thug and refused to back his own country."
Australian Associated Press
