Trump claims he misspoke, walks back his explosive comments with Putin amid harsh blowback from allies and critics
- President Donald Trump said Tuesday he misspoke a day earlier when he didn't back up findings by US intelligence that Russia had meddled in the 2016 US presidential election.
- Trump said at the joint press conference with Putin he didn't "see any reason" why Russia would be responsible for the hacking of the election.
- Trump's refusal to condemn Putin and Russia over the investigation's findings earned harsh blowback from media and lawmakers.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he misspoke a day earlier when he sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin on over the conclusion by the US intelligence committees that Russia had meddled in the 2016 US presidential election.
Trump said at the joint press conference with Putin he didn't "see any reason" why Russia would be responsible for the hacking of the election.
"I have President Putin, he just said it's not Russia," Trump said. "I will say this, I don't see any reason why it would be. I have confidence in both parties."
On Tuesday, Trump said he misspoke, instead he meant to say he didn't see any reason why it wouldn't be Russia.
Trump's refusal to condemn Putin and Russia over the investigation's findings earned harsh blowback from media and lawmakers after 12 Russian intelligence officers were indicted last week by the special counsel Robert Mueller's team for efforts to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.