Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday and defended the president's often contradictory and counterproductive remarks on Russia and NATO.
CNN:
The top US diplomat clashed with both Republicans and Democrats on several occasions -- refusing to provide substantive details about Trump's one-on-one meeting with Putin in Helsinki and the state of talks with North Korea following the President's sitdown with Kim in Singapore last month.
(...)
"Last week, President Trump held a summit with Vladimir Putin, someone who has violated the most fundamental international norms ... in the summit's aftermath, we saw an American President who appeared submissive and deferential," [committee chairman Republican Sen. Bob] Corker said.
"We've heard that some agreements were reached, but as of yet have little idea what those might be, even though the President has already extended an invitation to Putin to come to Washington to discuss the 'implementation' of these undefined agreements," he added.
Pompeo ardently defended the administration's policies throughout three-hour long hearing but would not provide a clear answer to questions about the President's conversation with Putin.
Pompeo claims he and the president are on the same page when it comes to understanding and warning against Russian election interference, even though the president continues to call the Russia investigation a hoax.
Pompeo also said that he "personally made clear to the Russians that there will be severe consequences for interference in our democratic processes" and that Trump "accepts our intelligence community's conclusion that Russia meddled in the 2016 election."
"He has a complete and proper understanding of what happened. I know, I briefed him on it for over a year. This is perfectly clear to me personally," he added.
Rep. Corker tried to give Pompeo room to separate himself from the president's erratic behavior, but the Secretary was not interested.
"I think you are a patriot. Tremendous faith in (Defense Secretary James) Mattis. But it's the President's actions that create tremendous distrust in our nation, among our allies. It's palpable," he added.
But Pompeo strongly pushed back on Corker's assertion that there is a disconnect between the Trump's actions and those of the administration.
"Senator, I just disagree mostly with just about everything you just said there. You somehow disconnect the administration's activities from the President's actions. They are one in the same. Every sanction that was put in place was signed off by the President of the United States, every spy that was removed was directed by the President," he said.
Just prior to his appearance before the committee, Pompeo released a statement reaffirming the United States' position on Crimea.
WaPo:
The declaration ... comes as lawmakers raise questions about what President Trump said to Putin during their longer-than-expected two-hour meeting in Helsinki last week.
“The United States rejects Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored,” Pompeo said in a statement.
Questions emerged about the administration’s Crimea policy after Trump said he would discuss the issue with Putin and acknowledged Russian investment in Crimea following its annexation.
Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), ranking member on the committee, used the Crimea issue as an example during the hearing of where the president's words stray from U.S. policy.
CNN:
"When the President speaks it is the policy of the United States," he said. "In one respect, I applaud this declaration about Crimea. But then he goes and says that Russia should join the G-7. Well, the reason Russia is not in the G-7 is because the invaded Ukraine. So which is the policy?"
NYT:
Mr. Pompeo spent much of the hearing attempting to persuade senators in both parties who expressed concern about Mr. Trump that it was the administration’s policy’s — not the president’s own words — that mattered.
At times, under questioning from the lawmakers, that meant the secretary of state contradicted Mr. Trump.
That was the case when it came to Mr. Trump’s frequent complaints that NATO allies have been delinquent in paying their bills to the United States, a mischaracterization that Mr. Corker called out.
“That’s a misnomer, is it not?” Mr. Corker said. “These NATO countries are not not paying bills to the United States, as sometimes is projected.”
Mr. Pompeo agreed. “That’s correct.,” he said.
Pompeo Defends Trump With ‘Proof’ of Administration’s Actions vs. Russia (NYT)
Pompeo defiant in clash over Trump-Putin summit (CNN)
Trump administration says it won’t recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea (WaPo)