Helsinki summit: Donald Trump again contradicts intelligence chiefs on Russia

Donald Trump again appears to contradict US intelligence chiefs on Russia, this time by claiming it’s no longer targeting the US.

Donald Trump speaks with members of his cabinet. Picture: AP.

Donald Trump today appeared to again contradict US intelligence chiefs on Russia, this time by claiming that Vladimir Putin’s regime was no longer targeting the United States.

But the White House quickly played down the comment as being misinterpreted, saying the president believes that the “threat still exists” of Russia targeting the US.

When asked today whether Russia was still targeting the US, Mr Trump replied: “Thank you very much, no.”

That comment was widely reported across the US media and led to Republicans rebuking the president.

But White House press Secretary Sarah Sanders later claimed Mr Trump was saying no to answering more questions despite the fact that he did continue to answer questions.

“The president said ‘thank you very much’ and was saying ‘no’ to answering questions,” Mrs Sanders said. “The president and his administration are working very hard to make sure that Russia is unable to meddle as they have done in the past.’

The confusion is the latest in a nightmare week for the president which saw him under fierce attack from both sides of politics in Washington for his appeasement of Russian president Vladimir Putin after their Helsinki summit.

In came only a day after Mr Trump was forced to retreat on claims that he didn’t see why Russia would have interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. In that instance, the president blamed the furore on him misspeaking.

But in overnight tweets, Mr Trump claimed the intelligence services had no problem with his Helsinki press conference and blamed ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ for the furore over his appeasement remarks.

“So many people at the higher ends of intelligence loved my press conference performance in Helsinki,” he tweeted, adding in another tweet: “Some people HATE the fact that I got along well with President Putin … It’s called Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

So many people at the higher ends of intelligence loved my press conference performance in Helsinki. Putin and I discussed many important subjects at our earlier meeting. We got along well which truly bothered many haters who wanted to see a boxing match. Big results will come!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 18, 2018

Some people HATE the fact that I got along well with President Putin of Russia. They would rather go to war than see this. It’s called Trump Derangement Syndrome!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 18, 2018

Last week the US director of national intelligence Dan Coats said specifically that Russia was still actively targeting the US and that “the warning lights were blinking red.”

“These actions are persistent. They’re pervasive, and they are meant to undermine America’s democracy on a daily basis, regardless of whether it is election time or not,” Mr Coats said.

Mr Coats said Moscow was targeting US businesses and government and expressed concern about attacks on US finance systems and infrastructure.

US intelligence is gravely concerned that Moscow will seek to interfere in the November midterm Congressional elections in the same way as it interfered in the 2016 president campaign.

Prior to Ms Sanders clarification, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said on Twitter there was a “BIG discrepancy” between the president’s comments and those of his intelligence chief.

“It’s imperative we get to the bottom of what is going on so we can be prepared to protect ourselves in advance of the 2018 elections,” Senator Graham said. “My personal view: the Russians are at again.”

Earlier today Mr Trump claimed that “no president was ever as tough as I have been on Russia.”

Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia