Trump defends election meddling remarks to Putin

President Trump on Saturday defended his remarks to Russian President Vladimir Putin in which he appeared to make light of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“You have to take a look at the word. I did say it,” Trump said during a news conference at the Group of 20 (G-20) summit in Osaka, Japan.

Trump said Saturday during a news conference that he and Putin had a “tremendous discussion” and suggested election interference came up at another point during their conversation, adding: “I did say it, and I did discuss it a little bit after that, too.”{mosads}

A White House readout issued after the roughly 90-minute meeting between Trump and Putin on Friday made no mention of election interference.

Trump had met with Putin Friday where he was pressed by journalists on whether he would tell Russia not to interfere in U.S. elections.

“Yes, of course, I will. Don’t meddle in the election, please. Don’t meddle in the election,” Trump said, pointing to Putin and flashing a grin.

Putin appeared to chuckle in response.

The exchange drew sharp criticism from those who have accused Trump of being too friendly with Putin.

Trump’s meeting with Putin marked the first time the two met face-to-face since former special counsel Robert Mueller finished his nearly two-year probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

In an interview this week with the Financial Times, Putin dismissed Mueller’s findings, saying it was “strange” that Russia was still being accused of interference. He also praised Trump as “talented” while adding that “the liberal idea has become obsolete.”

Trump and Putin also shared a laugh during the summit over frustration with journalists, with Trump saying, “Fake news is a great term, isn’t it? You don’t have this problem in Russia, but we do.”

Putin responded in English: “We also have. It’s the same.”

Numerous critics of Putin and Russian journalists have turned up dead over the years in Russia, and the country ranks toward the bottom among all nations in terms of press freedom, according to the World Press Freedom Index.

Trump regularly derides coverage he dislikes as “fake news” and has labeled specific news outlets the “enemy of the people.”