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| Trump, Putin and the ‘Incredible Offer’: Live Updates | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Right Now: President Trump refused to say whether he believes his own intelligence agencies or President Vladimir V. Putin on the question of Russian interference in the 2016 American election. | Right Now: President Trump refused to say whether he believes his own intelligence agencies or President Vladimir V. Putin on the question of Russian interference in the 2016 American election. |
| In a remarkable news conference after meeting for hours with the Russian president, Mr. Trump stopped short of saying he believed Mr. Putin more than he did his own aides. “They think it’s Russia,” he said. “I have President Putin — he just said it’s not Russia. I don’t see any reason why it would be.” | In a remarkable news conference after meeting for hours with the Russian president, Mr. Trump stopped short of saying he believed Mr. Putin more than he did his own aides. “They think it’s Russia,” he said. “I have President Putin — he just said it’s not Russia. I don’t see any reason why it would be.” |
| Although international affairs was expected to dominate the session, the president turned again and again to a defense of his own political legitimacy. “It’s a shame that there can even be a little bit of a cloud over” his election victory, he said. | Although international affairs was expected to dominate the session, the president turned again and again to a defense of his own political legitimacy. “It’s a shame that there can even be a little bit of a cloud over” his election victory, he said. |
| The two leaders held out the prospect of a new era of cooperation just days after a rocky NATO summit in which he criticized longstanding U.S. allies. | The two leaders held out the prospect of a new era of cooperation just days after a rocky NATO summit in which he criticized longstanding U.S. allies. |
| Here are some of the latest developments. | Here are some of the latest developments. |
| • Mr. Putin offered to have Russian intelligence agencies work with their American counterparts on the election meddling case — “an incredible offer,” Mr. Trump said. | |
| • Back home, some of Mr. Trump’s fellow Republicans said there was no doubt Russia had interfered in the vote. | |
| • The timing of the Trump-Putin meeting was exceptionally awkward. Just days ago, the Justice Department indicted 12 Russian intelligence agents on charges of hacking the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. | |
| • The New York Times has live coverage of his seven-day, three-nation trip, from our White House reporters and European correspondents. Photographs from Mr. Trump’s trip are here. | • The New York Times has live coverage of his seven-day, three-nation trip, from our White House reporters and European correspondents. Photographs from Mr. Trump’s trip are here. |
| Asked whether he believes his own intelligence agencies, which say that Russia interfered in the 2016 United States election, or Mr. Putin, who denies it, Mr. Trump refused to say, but he expressed doubt about whether Russia was to blame. | Asked whether he believes his own intelligence agencies, which say that Russia interfered in the 2016 United States election, or Mr. Putin, who denies it, Mr. Trump refused to say, but he expressed doubt about whether Russia was to blame. |
| Mr. Trump raised the matter of Russian electoral meddling, the two leaders said at the news conference, and Mr. Putin reiterated his denial of Russian involvement. | |
| Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, and other American intelligence officials “said they think it’s Russia,” Mr. Trump said. “I have President Putin, he just said it’s not Russia. I don’t see any reason why it would be.” | Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, and other American intelligence officials “said they think it’s Russia,” Mr. Trump said. “I have President Putin, he just said it’s not Russia. I don’t see any reason why it would be.” |
| But when asked directly whom he believes, Mr. Trump changed the subject to what he said was misconduct by Democrats during the campaign. | |
| The president’s ambivalence, after the indictments of 12 Russian intelligence agents over the election hacking, and after the findings of congressional committees, represents a remarkable divergence between Mr. Trump and the American national security apparatus. | |
| Mr. Putin said: “President Trump mentioned the so-called interference of Russia in the American elections. I had to reiterate things I said several times: that the Russian state has never interfered, and is not going to interfere, in internal American affairs, including the election process.” | Mr. Putin said: “President Trump mentioned the so-called interference of Russia in the American elections. I had to reiterate things I said several times: that the Russian state has never interfered, and is not going to interfere, in internal American affairs, including the election process.” |
| He offered to have Russian intelligence agencies work with their American counterparts to get to the bottom of the matter. | He offered to have Russian intelligence agencies work with their American counterparts to get to the bottom of the matter. |
| “What he did is an incredible offer,” Mr. Trump said. “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. | “What he did is an incredible offer,” Mr. Trump said. “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. |
| Republican leaders were largely silent after Mr. Trump’s news Mr. Putin, but a scattering of Republicans were aghast. | |
| “I never thought that 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 aggression. This is shameful,” Jeff Flake, the retiring Arizona senator, said on Twitter. | |
| Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, joined in. “This is bizarre and flat-out wrong,” he said. “The United States is not to blame. | |
| “America wants a good relationship with the Russian people but Vladimir Putin and his thugs are responsible for Soviet-style aggression. When the president plays these moral equivalence games, he gives Putin a propaganda win he desperately needs.” | |
| House Speaker Paul Ryan said: “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. ” | |
| Representative Justin Amash, a libertarian-minded Republican from Michigan, weighed in more tepidly, but with eyebrows arched: “A person can be in favor of improving relations with Russia, in favor of meeting with Putin, and still think something is not right here,” he wrote on Twitter. | |
| Democrats were not so circumspect. Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts called Mr. Trump’s performance a “national embarrassment.” And John O. Brennan, who was C.I.A. director under President Barack Obama, spoke of impeachment: “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???” | |
| Both leaders expressed confidence that Russia and the United States were entering a period of better relations and cooperation on global problems, but they did not cite any examples, and their news conference exposed continued areas of disagreement. | Both leaders expressed confidence that Russia and the United States were entering a period of better relations and cooperation on global problems, but they did not cite any examples, and their news conference exposed continued areas of disagreement. |
| Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and continues to support Russian separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine, aggression that the West has condemned. Mr. Trump did not address the matter publicly, either before or after the meetings on Monday, but Mr. Putin was asked whether his American counterpart had made any concessions. | Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and continues to support Russian separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine, aggression that the West has condemned. Mr. Trump did not address the matter publicly, either before or after the meetings on Monday, but Mr. Putin was asked whether his American counterpart had made any concessions. |
| “The posture of President Trump on Crimea is well known and he stands firmly by it,” Mr. Putin said. “He continues to maintain that it was illegal to annex it, our viewpoint is different.” | “The posture of President Trump on Crimea is well known and he stands firmly by it,” Mr. Putin said. “He continues to maintain that it was illegal to annex it, our viewpoint is different.” |
| Mr. Putin made a point of noting that the two leaders still disagree strongly on the Iran nuclear deal, which Mr. Trump withdrew from in May, and which the Russian president hailed as a great success. | Mr. Putin made a point of noting that the two leaders still disagree strongly on the Iran nuclear deal, which Mr. Trump withdrew from in May, and which the Russian president hailed as a great success. |
| Speaking to reporters before the meetings, Mr. Trump cited the reduction of nuclear arsenals as a major item on his agenda. “We have 90 percent of the nuclear, and that’s not a good thing, it’s a bad thing,” he had said. | Speaking to reporters before the meetings, Mr. Trump cited the reduction of nuclear arsenals as a major item on his agenda. “We have 90 percent of the nuclear, and that’s not a good thing, it’s a bad thing,” he had said. |
| He raised the issue again at the post-summit news conference, but Mr. Putin did not, and it was not clear that the matter had been discussed, much less that any progress had been made. | He raised the issue again at the post-summit news conference, but Mr. Putin did not, and it was not clear that the matter had been discussed, much less that any progress had been made. |
| Mr. Putin said that the war in Syria could be “the first showcase example of the successful joint work” between the two countries. But with Russia supporting the Assad regime in Syria, and the United States backing a rebel faction that opposes the government, it is not clear what room there is for cooperation there. | Mr. Putin said that the war in Syria could be “the first showcase example of the successful joint work” between the two countries. But with Russia supporting the Assad regime in Syria, and the United States backing a rebel faction that opposes the government, it is not clear what room there is for cooperation there. |
| It was not clear whether the two presidents discussed another area of conflict, the British government’s assertion that a nerve agent poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in England in March was carried out by current or former agents of a Russian intelligence service, the G.R.U. The United States has backed up Britain’s claim, and expelled dozens of Russian Embassy and Consulate employees. | It was not clear whether the two presidents discussed another area of conflict, the British government’s assertion that a nerve agent poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in England in March was carried out by current or former agents of a Russian intelligence service, the G.R.U. The United States has backed up Britain’s claim, and expelled dozens of Russian Embassy and Consulate employees. |
| Mr. Trump began the day of the meeting by blaming the United States for its poor relationship with Russia, casting aspersions on the federal investigation into Moscow’s cyberattack on the 2016 presidential election, even as he said he felt “just fine” about meeting with Mr. Putin. | Mr. Trump began the day of the meeting by blaming the United States for its poor relationship with Russia, casting aspersions on the federal investigation into Moscow’s cyberattack on the 2016 presidential election, even as he said he felt “just fine” about meeting with Mr. Putin. |
| In a pair of tweets sent on Monday before he headed for breakfast at Mantyniemi Palace, a residence of the Finnish president, Mr. Trump twice branded the special counsel investigation into Russia’s election interference the “Rigged Witch Hunt.” | In a pair of tweets sent on Monday before he headed for breakfast at Mantyniemi Palace, a residence of the Finnish president, Mr. Trump twice branded the special counsel investigation into Russia’s election interference the “Rigged Witch Hunt.” |
| That investigation, and “many years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity,” he wrote, are why the United States’ relationship with Russia “has NEVER been worse” — a bold claim, given that the history includes periods like the Cuban missile crisis, and the wars in Korea and Vietnam. | That investigation, and “many years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity,” he wrote, are why the United States’ relationship with Russia “has NEVER been worse” — a bold claim, given that the history includes periods like the Cuban missile crisis, and the wars in Korea and Vietnam. |
| He did not mention factors that are usually cited in the West as causes for friction with Moscow: Russia’s annexation of Crimea, its support for rebels in Ukraine and for the Assad regime in Syria, its meddling in the elections of the United States and in those of other countries, and the nerve agent poisonings in England that the British government has said the Kremlin was behind. | He did not mention factors that are usually cited in the West as causes for friction with Moscow: Russia’s annexation of Crimea, its support for rebels in Ukraine and for the Assad regime in Syria, its meddling in the elections of the United States and in those of other countries, and the nerve agent poisonings in England that the British government has said the Kremlin was behind. |
| The president’s tweet drew praise and a “like” from the Russian Foreign Ministry. | The president’s tweet drew praise and a “like” from the Russian Foreign Ministry. |
| Mr. Trump reiterated the point in his prepared remarks at the news conference with Mr. Putin, saying: “Our relationship has never been worse than it is now. However, that changed as of about four hours ago. I really believe that.” | Mr. Trump reiterated the point in his prepared remarks at the news conference with Mr. Putin, saying: “Our relationship has never been worse than it is now. However, that changed as of about four hours ago. I really believe that.” |
| “Nothing would be easier politically than to refuse to meet, to refuse to engage, but that would not accomplish anything,” he added. “As president, I cannot make decisions on foreign policy in a futile effort to appease partisan critics or the media, or Democrats who don’t want to do anything but resist and obstruct.” | “Nothing would be easier politically than to refuse to meet, to refuse to engage, but that would not accomplish anything,” he added. “As president, I cannot make decisions on foreign policy in a futile effort to appease partisan critics or the media, or Democrats who don’t want to do anything but resist and obstruct.” |
| Mr. Trump, asked during the news conference whether he had warned Mr. Putin not to interfere in the election, instead used the opportunity to lash out at opponents who had suggested that Russian meddling was in any way responsible for his victory or tainted his legacy. | Mr. Trump, asked during the news conference whether he had warned Mr. Putin not to interfere in the election, instead used the opportunity to lash out at opponents who had suggested that Russian meddling was in any way responsible for his victory or tainted his legacy. |
| “There was no collusion at all,” Mr. Trump, who said the campaign was clean and that he had beaten Mrs. Clinton easily (he did not mention that she won the popular vote). | |
| He dismissed as largely irrelevant the announcement on Friday that the 12 Russian intelligence agents had been indicted in connection with the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton presidential campaign. | |
| “I beat Hillary Clinton easily and frankly we beat her,” he said. “We won that race and it’s a shame that there can even be a little bit of a cloud over it.” He then lamented the effect the allegations have had on the world’s two biggest nuclear powers. | “I beat Hillary Clinton easily and frankly we beat her,” he said. “We won that race and it’s a shame that there can even be a little bit of a cloud over it.” He then lamented the effect the allegations have had on the world’s two biggest nuclear powers. |
| The comments at the news conference came after Mr. Trump lashed out at former President Barack Obama for the second day in a row, tweeting that his predecessor had failed to intervene to stop Russia’s hacking because he “thought that Crooked Hillary was going to win the election.” | The comments at the news conference came after Mr. Trump lashed out at former President Barack Obama for the second day in a row, tweeting that his predecessor had failed to intervene to stop Russia’s hacking because he “thought that Crooked Hillary was going to win the election.” |
| — Julie Hirschfeld Davis | — Julie Hirschfeld Davis |
| Asked at the news conference if he held Russia at all responsible for conflict with the United States, Mr. Trump said: “Yes, I do, I hold both countries responsible. I think the United States has been foolish. I think we’ve all been foolish.” | Asked at the news conference if he held Russia at all responsible for conflict with the United States, Mr. Trump said: “Yes, I do, I hold both countries responsible. I think the United States has been foolish. I think we’ve all been foolish.” |
| But he did not cite a single specific thing Russia had done to contribute to tensions. And as he often does, Mr. Trump pivoted from the question that was asked to declaring his innocence of collusion with Russian election meddling, and boasting about his electoral victory. | But he did not cite a single specific thing Russia had done to contribute to tensions. And as he often does, Mr. Trump pivoted from the question that was asked to declaring his innocence of collusion with Russian election meddling, and boasting about his electoral victory. |
| “That was a clean campaign,” he said. “I beat Hillary Clinton easily and frankly we beat her. We won that race and it’s a shame that there can even be a little bit of a cloud over it. The main thing and we discussed this also: zero collusion.” | “That was a clean campaign,” he said. “I beat Hillary Clinton easily and frankly we beat her. We won that race and it’s a shame that there can even be a little bit of a cloud over it. The main thing and we discussed this also: zero collusion.” |
| “There was no collusion,” he added. “I didn’t know the president. There was nobody to collude with.” | “There was no collusion,” he added. “I didn’t know the president. There was nobody to collude with.” |
| Later, when Mr. Trump was asked whether he believed Mr. Putin over his own intelligence officials, he changed the subject again, reiterating his old grievance that law enforcement was not aggressive enough in pursuing what he says were misdeeds by Mrs. Clinton and her campaign. | Later, when Mr. Trump was asked whether he believed Mr. Putin over his own intelligence officials, he changed the subject again, reiterating his old grievance that law enforcement was not aggressive enough in pursuing what he says were misdeeds by Mrs. Clinton and her campaign. |
| When asked about the credibility of his denials, Mr. Putin said: “As to who is to be believed, as to who is not to be believed, you can trust no one. Where did you get this idea that President Trump trusts me or that I trust him? He defends the interests of the United States of America and I defend the interests of the Russian Federation. We do have interests in common and we are looking for points of contact.” | When asked about the credibility of his denials, Mr. Putin said: “As to who is to be believed, as to who is not to be believed, you can trust no one. Where did you get this idea that President Trump trusts me or that I trust him? He defends the interests of the United States of America and I defend the interests of the Russian Federation. We do have interests in common and we are looking for points of contact.” |
| During his news conference with President Trump, Mr. Putin took advantage of his time on the world stage to target a longtime Kremlin foe, William F. Browder, a London-based investor, and repeat an accusation that Mr. Browder sent large amounts of money to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. | During his news conference with President Trump, Mr. Putin took advantage of his time on the world stage to target a longtime Kremlin foe, William F. Browder, a London-based investor, and repeat an accusation that Mr. Browder sent large amounts of money to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. |
| “Business associates of him have earned over $1.5 billion in Russia,” Mr. Putin said. “They never paid any taxes. Neither in Russia nor in the United States. Yet, the money escaped the country. They were transferred to the United States. They sent huge amount of money, $400 million as a contribution to the campaign of Hillary Clinton.” | “Business associates of him have earned over $1.5 billion in Russia,” Mr. Putin said. “They never paid any taxes. Neither in Russia nor in the United States. Yet, the money escaped the country. They were transferred to the United States. They sent huge amount of money, $400 million as a contribution to the campaign of Hillary Clinton.” |
| In his comments, Mr. Putin was dredging up material referenced in opposition research that Natalia V. Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer, had offered to members of the Trump campaign in 2016. | In his comments, Mr. Putin was dredging up material referenced in opposition research that Natalia V. Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer, had offered to members of the Trump campaign in 2016. |
| Mr. Browder is a longtime target of Mr. Putin’s. The investor was the driving force behind the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 American law that freezes the assets held in the United States by Russian officials responsible for human rights abuses. | Mr. Browder is a longtime target of Mr. Putin’s. The investor was the driving force behind the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 American law that freezes the assets held in the United States by Russian officials responsible for human rights abuses. |
| Russia has repeatedly requested Mr. Browder’s arrest through Interpol, but in 2013 the international agency issued a rare statement in opposition, saying the effort was of a “predominantly political nature.” | Russia has repeatedly requested Mr. Browder’s arrest through Interpol, but in 2013 the international agency issued a rare statement in opposition, saying the effort was of a “predominantly political nature.” |
| But on Monday, Mr. Putin was able to lash out at Mr. Browder as the world was watching, and next to a president who has repeatedly emphasized that the two countries would work in cooperation on issues of mutual interests. | But on Monday, Mr. Putin was able to lash out at Mr. Browder as the world was watching, and next to a president who has repeatedly emphasized that the two countries would work in cooperation on issues of mutual interests. |
| One of those appears to be a fixation on Mrs. Clinton’s campaign: The material Ms. Veselnitskaya had offered to members of the Trump campaign before a meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 had promised to damage Mr. Trump’s opponent. | One of those appears to be a fixation on Mrs. Clinton’s campaign: The material Ms. Veselnitskaya had offered to members of the Trump campaign before a meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 had promised to damage Mr. Trump’s opponent. |
| Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, enthusiastically accepted her offer. “I love it,” he wrote in an email agreeing to meet with her. — Katie Rogers | Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, enthusiastically accepted her offer. “I love it,” he wrote in an email agreeing to meet with her. — Katie Rogers |
| Mr. Trump’s body language on this trip has alternated between aloof and uncomfortable, with brief moments of warmth — and that was when meeting America’s closest allies. | Mr. Trump’s body language on this trip has alternated between aloof and uncomfortable, with brief moments of warmth — and that was when meeting America’s closest allies. |
| As Mr. Trump sat with Mr. Putin before their private meeting on Monday, Mr. Trump, who often gesticulates and jokes while making his points, seemed to keep himself uncharacteristically retrained — except for the moment he inexplicably winked in the Russian president’s direction. | As Mr. Trump sat with Mr. Putin before their private meeting on Monday, Mr. Trump, who often gesticulates and jokes while making his points, seemed to keep himself uncharacteristically retrained — except for the moment he inexplicably winked in the Russian president’s direction. |
| Still, Mr. Trump appeared fidgety while seated next to his stony Russian counterpart, whom he has repeatedly congratulated and tried to flatter before meeting him in Helsinki. In his opening remarks, he did it again. | Still, Mr. Trump appeared fidgety while seated next to his stony Russian counterpart, whom he has repeatedly congratulated and tried to flatter before meeting him in Helsinki. In his opening remarks, he did it again. |
| “First of all Mr. President, I’d like to congratulate you on a really great World Cup,” Mr. Trump said. “One of the best ever from what everybody tells me and also for your team, itself, doing so well.” | “First of all Mr. President, I’d like to congratulate you on a really great World Cup,” Mr. Trump said. “One of the best ever from what everybody tells me and also for your team, itself, doing so well.” |
| During the five-minute photo opportunity and brief remarks, Mr. Trump hunched forward in his chair, tapped his fingers together with his hands making an upside-down triangle — a gesture he has made in the presence of other leaders in high-stakes settings. His head swiveled back and forth between the news cameras and his translator, but he rarely looked at the Russian president. | During the five-minute photo opportunity and brief remarks, Mr. Trump hunched forward in his chair, tapped his fingers together with his hands making an upside-down triangle — a gesture he has made in the presence of other leaders in high-stakes settings. His head swiveled back and forth between the news cameras and his translator, but he rarely looked at the Russian president. |
| Compared with Mr. Trump, who leaned forward toward the cameras, his eyes darting back and forth, Mr. Putin appeared clamped into his chair. The Russian president’s eyes rarely left the floor, and if they did, they were focused on Mr. Trump. His hands rarely left two fixed positions — one on his lap, the other curled backward, gripping the chair. | Compared with Mr. Trump, who leaned forward toward the cameras, his eyes darting back and forth, Mr. Putin appeared clamped into his chair. The Russian president’s eyes rarely left the floor, and if they did, they were focused on Mr. Trump. His hands rarely left two fixed positions — one on his lap, the other curled backward, gripping the chair. |
| Mr. Trump, who has called journalists the enemy of the people, did not answer questions from the news media. When a journalist shouted a question about Russia tampering with the 2016 election, Mr. Putin’s face appeared to curl into a smirk. — Katie Rogers | Mr. Trump, who has called journalists the enemy of the people, did not answer questions from the news media. When a journalist shouted a question about Russia tampering with the 2016 election, Mr. Putin’s face appeared to curl into a smirk. — Katie Rogers |