The White House announced Wednesday that an anticipated meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Washington, D.C. will not be held this year as planned.
“The President believes that the next bilateral meeting with President Putin should take place after the Russia witch hunt is over, so we’ve agreed that it will be after the first of the year,” said National Security Advisor John Bolton, the Washington Post reported.
Bolton was referring to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential election.
BREAKING: White House: Trump delaying proposed next meeting with Russia’s Putin until 2019, citing Mueller probe.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 25, 2018
Earlier this month, President Trump had invited Putin to Washington, D.C., this fall.
The White House had announced that Trump asked Bolton to invite Putin to Washington, D.C.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that discussions about the visit were already underway.
In Helsinki, @POTUS agreed to ongoing working level dialogue between the two security council staffs. President Trump asked @Ambjohnbolton to invite President Putin to Washington in the fall and those discussions are already underway.
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) July 19, 2018
Trump and Putin met earlier this month for a summit in Helsinki, Finland, where the two had a private meeting that lasted for more than two hours, and then held a bilateral meeting with other officials and a joint press conference.
BREAKING: White House: Trump asked national security adviser to invite Putin to Washington for fall meeting, discussions underway.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 19, 2018
Both leaders characterized the meeting as successful, and Trump has said that having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing for the United States.
The President had also tweeted about a second summit with Putin.
“The Summit with Russia was a great success, except with the real enemy of the people, the Fake News Media. I look forward to our second meeting so that we can start implementing some of the many things discussed, including stopping terrorism, security for Israel, nuclear … proliferation, cyber attacks, trade, Ukraine, Middle East peace, North Korea and more. There are many answers, some easy and some hard, to these problems… but they can ALL be solved,” Trump tweeted.
The Summit with Russia was a great success, except with the real enemy of the people, the Fake News Media. I look forward to our second meeting so that we can start implementing some of the many things discussed, including stopping terrorism, security for Israel, nuclear……..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2018
….proliferation, cyber attacks, trade, Ukraine, Middle East peace, North Korea and more. There are many answers, some easy and some hard, to these problems…but they can ALL be solved!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2018
Although Trump and Putin met last year at the G20 summit and the APEC summit, the Helsinki summit was the first dedicated to the relationship of the two nuclear powers.
President Trump was satisfied with the outcome of the summit and the chance to remedy the deteriorated relationship with Russia.
He expressed a desire to achieve peace instead of politics, and emphasized the positive impact the relationship would have on the world.
“The meeting between President Putin and myself was a great success, except in the Fake News Media,” Trump had tweeted.
The meeting between President Putin and myself was a great success, except in the Fake News Media!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 18, 2018
The President’s criticism of the media come amid backlash for his comments at the joint press conference with Putin in Helsinki following their private meeting and bilateral meeting.
President Trump disagreed with the findings of U.S. intelligence analyses that ultimately led to the indictment of 12 Russian officials for allegedly meddling in the 2016 Presidential election.
Trump also criticized the credibility of U.S. intelligence agencies, leading many to conclude that he publicly sided with Russia over the United States.
Many Democrat and Republican members of Congress spoke out about Trump’s comments. Some criticized him directly for his words, while others criticized Russia.
However, Trump clarified some of his remarks the following day, saying that he misspoke in Helsinki.
“I have full faith and support for America’s intelligence agencies,” he said, adding that he accepted the conclusions by U.S. intelligence agencies.
