Trump-Putin Press Conference: Missouri Leaders Speak Out

MISSOURI — Missouri Sens. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, and Roy Blunt, a Republican, are both condemning President Donald Trump's comments at a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki Monday.

At a joint press conference, Putin denied interfering in the 2016 U.S. elections, but admitted he had wanted then-candidate Trump to win the presidency. Putin's denial contradicts the U.S. intelligence community's assessment and more than two dozen criminal indictments against Russian nationals and intelligence officials.

The American president declined to challenge his Russian counterpart, adding that Putin was "extremely strong and powerful in his denial..."

“My people came to me, [Director of National Intelligence] Dan Coats came to me and some others saying they think it's Russia," Trump said. "I have President Putin, he just said it’s not Russia. I will say this, I don’t see any reason why it would be.”

Instead, Trump blamed "U.S. foolishness" for the Russian cyberattack, saying he "holds both countries responsible."

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“President Trump’s statements today fly in the face of the consensus of the Intelligence Community, the Director of National Intelligence, the Special Counsel, and a bipartisan investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee," McCaskill said in a statement. "I stand with my Republican colleagues who are calling out this unprecedented rebuke of our intelligence officers — most of whom are veterans of the United States military. Today’s actions will only embolden the enemies of our country and erode the support of our allies.”

She was more succinct on Twitter. "What happened to no apologies?" she wrote.

McCaskill's Republican counterpart also broke with the president.

"Vladimir Putin is not an ally of the United States," Blunt said in a statement. "He is a calculating adversary who is trying to exert all the influence he can anywhere he can. There is no doubt Russia attempted to interfere in our elections, as they have done in other countries for years. We must make clear that we will not tolerate Russian aggression against the United States or our allies."

That wasn't the only reaction from the Show Me State. State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, who represents Missouri's fifth district tweeted the text book definition of the word treason, asking, "Republicans now what?!"

Republicans now what?! pic.twitter.com/jdioDWavux
— Jamilah Nasheed (@SenatorNasheed) July 17, 2018

She wasn't the only one using the T-word. Former CIA director John Brennan called Trump's comments "nothing short of treasonous," saying that his performance in Helsinki "rises to & exceeds the threshold of 'high crimes and misdemeanors.'"

Conversely, Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley, who is hoping to take McCaskill's seat from her in November, seemed to defend Trump. "President Trump won. Hillary lost," a campaign spokesperson said. ""It's time for Democrats and the media to move on, and the President should keep on being forceful with Russia."

Check back for updates as more reactions come in.

Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images