President Trump today

By Brian Ries, Meg Wagner and Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 8:27 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018
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4:07 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018

White House: Discussions underway for Putin to visit Washington this fall

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

Discussions are underway for Russian President Vladimir Putin to come to Washington this fall, the White House said.

Press secretary Sarah Sanders announced the development on Twitter:

 

4:52 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018

US intel chief: I wish the President would have "made a different statement"

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, said he wished President Trump "made a different statement" on Russia's interference in the 2016 election than the one made in Helsinki.

Coats added that he thinks "that now that has been clarified."

On Wednesday, the President said he misspoke during his news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland. He said he should have used the word "wouldn't" instead of "would."

During the news conference, Trump said, "I don't see any reason why it would be" Russia that interfered in the election.

After Trump's remarks on Monday, Coats, without consulting the White House, decided to reassert the intelligence community's assessment that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election.

In the statement, Coats said:

"The role of the Intelligence Community is to provide the best information and fact-based assessments possible for the President and policymakers. We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy, and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of our national security."

3:56 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018

Former US ambassador sought by Putin thanks Senate for its support

Former Ambassador Michael McFaul took to Twitter to thank the US Senate for rejecting Russian Vladimir Putin's proposal to question him and other American officials.

"98-0. Bipartisanship is not dead yet in the US Senate. Thank you all for your support," McFaul tweeted.

He also reacted to today's statement from the White House on Putin's proposal.

“I don’t consider it 'sincerity' to falsely accuse US government officials of being criminals," he tweeted.

Earlier today, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the proposal was made “in sincerity by President Putin, but President Trump disagrees with it.”

3:21 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018

Senate votes 98-0 to reject Putin's proposal to interrogate US officials despite Trump reversal

From CNN's Phil Mattingly

The US Senate just voted 98-0 to oppose a Putin proposal to interrogate US officials, even after a last-minute reversal by President Trump.

The resolution was crafted after the White House appeared yesterday to be open to the idea, which would have included Russian prosecutors interviewing former U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul.

The White House decision not to reject the idea outright garnered outrage from lawmakers in both parties on Capitol Hill.

Shortly before the vote was scheduled to occur, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the proposal was made “in sincerity by President Putin, but President Trump disagrees with it.”

Every present Senator voted in favor of the resolution, which expressed the sense of the Senate that no current or former diplomat, civil servant, law enforcement official, member of the Armed Forces or political appointee should be made available to Putin’s government for an interrogation.

Schumer called on Trump to speak out: Ahead of the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on President Trump to personally reject Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to interview American officials, including former US ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul. 

"Let this resolution be a warning to the administration that Congress will not allow this to happen," Schumer said. "I call on President Trump to say once and for all not through his spokespeople that the lopsided disgraceful trade he called an 'incredible offer' is now off the table."

Schumer added it was "neither the policy nor the practice of the United States to submit our citizens, let alone our ambassadors to a foreign adversary."

1:55 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018

White House says Trump "disagrees" with Putin's proposal to question Americans

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders just issued a statement that says President Trump disagrees with Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to question Americans, including the former US ambassador to Russia.

"It is a proposal that was made in sincerity by President Putin, but President Trump disagrees with it," she said. "Hopefully President Putin will have the 12 identified Russians come to the United States to prove their innocence or guilt."

Wait... what proposal?

The White House said on Wednesday it is entertaining a proposal raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin to interrogate Americans in exchange for assistance in the ongoing US investigation into election interference.

Putin raised the idea in his summit talks with President Trump on Monday, according to White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. The Americans wanted for questioning by Moscow include Michael McFaul, the former US ambassador to Russia, and American-born financier Bill Browder, who successfully lobbied the US government to impose new sanctions on Moscow.

Sanders indicated on Wednesday no final decision had been made but that the proposal was under consideration.

"The President's going to meet with his team and we'll let you know when we have an announcement on that," she said.

That response drew outcry from diplomats and lawmakers.

1:34 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018

This Republican senator blocked a bipartisan effort to rebuke Trump on Russia

From CNN’s Ted Barrett and Kristin Wilson

Alex Wong/Getty Images
Alex Wong/Getty Images

A top Senate Republican leader blocked passage Thursday of a non-binding bipartisan resolution related to Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

Sen. John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican, complained the resolution — which was written by GOP Jeff Flake and Democratic Sen. Chris Coons — was "purely a symbolic act." He said he wanted Senate committees to dig into the issues involved before deciding next steps. He said those steps could include new sanctions against Russia to punish that country for its meddling in US elections.

What was in the proposal: Their proposal rejects Putin's denial of election interference, calls for the immediate enactment of sanctions passed by Congress last year, and asks Senate committees to hold hearings into what exactly happened in the private meeting between Putin and Trump, including obtaining relevant notes and other information.

But this isn't the only Russia-related resolution the Senate is considering today.

Senators are set to vote soon on another resolution written by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. That one rejects a proposal from Russia's Vladimir Putin that might allow the Russian government interview American officials, including former US ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul.  

3:29 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018

Top US general: "No specific direction" received after Trump-Putin summit

From CNN's Ryan Browne

Win McNamee/Getty Images
Win McNamee/Getty Images

The top US general in the Middle East told reporters that he has received "no specific direction" in the wake of Monday's meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite Russia's claims that agreements had been reached with regard to military cooperation.

No direction given: "We have received no specific direction at this point," Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of US Central Command, which oversees US troops in the region, told reporters at the Pentagon via a video teleconference.

Votel said he was "not privy" to any talks between the US, Russia and Israel that would seek to draw down US forces in Syria in exchange for Russian guarantees to keep Iranian forces and Iranian backed-groups away from the Israel-Syria border region.

"I'm not privy to any kind of grand bargain discussion or anything like that," Votel said.

Law prohibits collaboration: He also noted that the US military is prohibited by law from coordinating, synchronizing, or collaborating with Russian forces.  

After the 2014 Russian military incursion in Ukraine and its seizure of Crimea, Congress prohibited "any bilateral military-to-military cooperation" with Russia in its passage of the National Defense Authorization Act.

Votel said any cooperation "would have to be created by Congress or a waiver that they would approve to allow us to do something like that. I have not asked for that at this point and we'll see what direction comes down."

1:10 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018

Read Chuck Schumer's Senate resolution opposing Putin's proposal to Trump

The Senate will soon vote on a resolution related to Russian President Vladimir’s Putin’s proposal to Trump offering assistance in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation in exchange for allowing Russia to question US officials.

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer called it a "fine resolution."

"No president can put one of our fine servants who have worked hard for the diplomatic core at risk," he said.

The Senate is expected to vote around 1:45 p.m. ET.

Here's the text of the resolution:

12:38 p.m. ET, July 19, 2018

What you need to know about Putin's proposal to Trump to interrogate Americans

The White House said on Wednesday it is entertaining a proposal raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin to interrogate Americans in exchange for assistance in the ongoing US investigation into election interference, putting the White House at odds with the State Department, which called the idea "absurd."

Putin raised the idea in his summit talks with President Trump on Monday, according to White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.

Note: Sanders indicated on Wednesday no final decision had been made but that the proposal was under consideration.

Here's exactly what Putin has proposed:

  • Putin suggested special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators could come to Russia.
  • There, they'd be allowed to question the two dozen Russians that have been charged with interfering in the 2016 presidential election.
  • In return, Putin said he would expect the US to allow Russian investigators to question what he called fugitives on American soil.
  •  The Americans wanted for questioning by Moscow include Michael McFaul, the former US ambassador to Russia, and American-born financier Bill Browder, who successfully lobbied the US government to impose new sanctions on Moscow.
  • Trump called the notion an "interesting idea" during his press conference with Putin in Helsinki.

The idea hasn't gone over well in DC

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright slammed the White House for considering the Russian proposal — especially the possible interrogation of McFaul.

Rep. Eric Swalwell said that if Trump agreed to turn over the former ambassador to Russia for questioning, it could be grounds for impeachment.

And Hillary Clinton tweeted this:

Republicans voiced their displeasure, too. GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham called the proposal “absurd” and “naive” and said everyone in Congress opposes this idea. GOP Sen. John Cornyn also pushed back and said interviewing witnesses was not going to happen.

At 1:45 p.m. ET today the Senate will vote on a resolution related to Putin’s proposal. Speaking on the Senate floor, Sen. Chuck Schumer said, "No president can put one of our fine servants who have worked hard for the diplomatic core at risk," and predicted the resolution would "pass unanimously."