The following article by Jordan Fabian was posted on the Hill website July 16, 2018:
President Trump on Monday refused to denounce Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and criticized the special counsel investigation — all while standing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin at a press conference following their meeting in Helsinki, Finland.
In an extraordinary scene broadcast live to a worldwide audience, Trump sided with Russia over his own intelligence agencies’ conclusion about Russia’s meddling in the election.
“They said they think it’s Russia. I have President Putin; he just said it’s not Russia,” Trump said.