Faced with growing bipartisan criticism of his performance at a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, President Trump on Tuesday blamed the media for unfair coverage of the meeting.
In a series of tweets, Trump blasted the media and touted the economy in response to a day of negative coverage about the summit, where the U.S. president appeared to take Putin’s word that Russia didn’t interfere in the 2016 election over the findings of his own intelligence agencies.
“While I had a great meeting with NATO, raising vast amounts of money, I had an even better meeting with Vladimir Putin of Russia,” Trump tweeted.
“Sadly, it is not being reported that way – the Fake News is going Crazy!” he added.
A few minutes later, Trump shifted his focus on Twitter to tout the economy.
“The economy of the United States is stronger than ever before!” he wrote.
{mosads}There has been little talk about the economy or Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in the last 24 hours as coverage has been dominated by the Russian summit.
Democrats, Republicans, media personalities and even some of the president’s staunchest supporters condemned Trump’s refusal to say during a press conference with Putin in Finland that he believes Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
Congressional leaders have also pushed back against Trump.
“I understand a desire to have good relations, that is perfectly reasonable,” Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Tuesday. “But Russia is a menacing government that does not share our interests. And it does not share our values and I think that should be made very, very clear.”
Ryan said it was clear that Russia had interfered in the last election, but he replied tersely in response to a question that he did not see Trump’s remarks at the press conference with Putin as treasonous.
At the press conference, Trump recounted his victory over Hillary Clinton and called special counsel Robert Mueller‘s investigation into Russian meddling in the election “ridiculous.”
Before the meeting even began, Trump took to Twitter to say U.S. “foolishness” and Mueller’s probe were to blame for souring relations between Washington and Moscow. Most Republicans in Congress, while critical of former President Obama’s handling of Russia, see Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and its meddling in other countries as being to blame for the tense relations.
Democrats have blasted Trump, and have called on Republicans to do more to condemn the president’s remarks.
The focus on the issue is an unwelcome development for the GOP, which just last week was enjoying a largely successful rollout of a new Supreme Court nominee. Months before a challenging midterm election, Republicans want to focus on the things that unite them — not battle over Russia.
Criticism of Trump has also come from allies in the media.
Numerous hosts and contributors on Fox News, normally more sympathetic and supportive of the president, have pushed back on Trump’s comments.
Bret Baier called the president’s remarks “surreal.” Fox Business host Neil Cavuto deemed them “disgusting.” And Brian Kilmeade appealed to Trump on Tuesday morning’s “Fox & Friends” to accept that Russia interfered in the election and correct his earlier comments.
Trump’s former communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, appeared on CNN Tuesday morning and urged the president to “reverse course.”
Trump is set to meet with a group of Republicans this afternoon at the White House. While the planned discussion is on tax reform, reporters will be looking to see if Trump uses the time to discuss fallout from the summit.
It’s far from clear, however, that Trump has any desire to walk back his remarks.
Trump wrote prior to departing for his meeting with Putin that he expected media coverage of the summit would not properly credit him, regardless of the result. In a subsequent tweet, he again labeled members of the press as the “enemy of the people.”
“Unfortunately, no matter how well I do at the Summit, if I was given the great city of Moscow as retribution for all of the sins and evils committed by Russia over the years, I would return to criticism that it wasn’t good enough – that I should have gotten Saint Petersburg in addition!” Trump tweeted on Sunday.
“Much of our news media is indeed the enemy of the people and all the Dems know how to do is resist and obstruct!” he added.