Following the most recent spate of Mueller investigation indictments of 12 Russian intelligence officers, many Democrats are demanding that Trump cancel his impending Helsinki summit with Vladimir Putin. A few Republican Senators have also begun to question the meeting.
Top Democrats called Friday for President Donald Trump to cancel his planned summit next week with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the announcement by the Justice Department that 12 Russian intelligence officers had been indicted over the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign during the 2016 presidential race.
But as the list of Democrats demanding the cancellation mounted Friday afternoon, a senior administration official told NBC News there was a "zero" percent chance that the meeting would be scratched.
Read More: Dems call on Trump to cancel Putin summit after Russian hacking indictments (NBC News)
“Glad-handing with Vladimir Putin on the heels of these indictments would be an insult to our democracy,” [Sen. Chuck] Schumer (N.Y.) said in a statement less than an hour after Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein detailed the new charges at a midday news conference.
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Schumer called the latest indictments from the probe led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III “further proof of what everyone but the president seems to understand: President Putin is an adversary who interfered in our elections to help President Trump win.”
“President Trump should cancel his meeting with Vladimir Putin until Russia takes demonstrable and transparent steps to prove that they won’t interfere in future elections,” Schumer said.
Read More: After latest indictments, Schumer calls on Trump to cancel summit with Putin (Washington Post)
Official Press Release from Nancy Pelosi:
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi issued this statement reiterating House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats’ letter calling for President Trump to cancel his meeting with Putin:
“President Trump’s continued refusal to condemn the Russians’ attacks on our democracy, even after Special Counsel Mueller indicted 12 Russian intelligence officials for interfering in the 2016 election, makes it clear that meeting with Putin would be both pointless and dangerous. The Trump-Putin meeting must be canceled."
Read the full press release here.
House Foreign Affairs Committee (Democrats):
Led by Ranking Member Eliot L. Engel, 18 Democratic members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs today called on President Trump to cancel his planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a letter, the Members expressed deep concern about the President meeting with Putin in light of recent events.
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“The United States has many serious points of conflict with Russia. From Putin’s interference in our election to his backing of Syria’s murderous dictator Bashar Assad; from Russia’s occupation of parts of Ukraine to his attempt to assassinate the leader of Montenegro; and, from Putin’s pressure on our NATO allies to Russia’s aggressive military posture and nuclear deployments that run afoul of INF obligations, Russia has shown itself to be an adversary of the United States and our allies and a serious threat to global peace, security, and stability. And, today, Special Counsel Mueller indicted twelve Russian military officers for hacking the Democratic National Committee – a direct attack on our democracy,” the Members wrote.
The letter was signed by Reps. Engel, Gregory W. Meeks (NY), Albio Sires (NJ), Gerald E. Connolly (VA), Theodore E. Deutch (FL), Karen Bass (CA), William R. Keating (MA), David N. Cicilline (RI), Ami Bera (CA), Lois Frankel (FL), Joaquin Castro (TX), Robin L. Kelly (IL), Brendan F. Boyle (PA), Dina Titus (NV), Norma J. Torres (CA), Bradley S. Schneider (IL), Adriano Espaillat (NY), and Ted W. Lieu (CA).
Read the full text of the letter here.
"Latest indictment of Russian intelligence officers and Kremlin-directed hacking operation designed to help the Trump campaign adds to weight of evidence against Putin," [Rep. Adam] Schiff, the House Intelligence Committee ranking member, tweeted. "Since the President plainly lacks the courage — or the motive — to confront him, he should call off the meeting."
Read more: Schiff: Trump should cancel meeting with Putin since he 'lacks courage to confront him' (The Hill)
Republicans were largely silent on the indictments shortly after they were announced Friday afternoon by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the Mueller investigation.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), however, said in a statement that Trump must demonstrate to Putin that there is a serious price to pay for his aggression, adding, “If President Trump is not prepared to hold Putin accountable, the summit in Helsinki should not move forward."
Read more: Democrats: Trump should scrap Putin powwow (Politico)