America’s reaction to the Trump-Putin news conference

A bipartisan pair of prominent U.S. senators objected to President Donald Trump’s ambiguity on the extent of Russian interference in the 2016 election – part of a growing chorus of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers who have condemned the remarks.

Trump, during a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, expressed confidence in his counterpart’s denial of responsibility, calling the Russian leader’s response “extremely strong and powerful.” Trump also cast doubt on U.S. intelligence on Russian election meddling. Putin himself had said the Russian government has not and will not interfere in the American electoral process during the U.S.-Russia joint press conference Monday.

“What the president said today is not accurate,” Sen. Marco Rubio, a former Republican presidential candidate, said during a panel discussion hosted by the Atlantic Council Monday. “The intelligence community has assembled probably an unparalleled amount of evidence in regards to the Russian—not just efforts to interfere in 2016, but ongoing efforts to interfere in American society.”