President Trump blames media for criticism over Putin news conference

WASHINGTON — The day after his ill-fated news conference with Vladimir Putin drew criticism even from supporters, a defiant President Donald Trump said Tuesday he had a great meeting with the Russian leader and blamed the news media for the poor reception.

"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 after returning from a weeklong trip to Europe. "Sadly, it is not being reported that way - the Fake News is going Crazy!"

Having watched the president’s performance, lawmakers across the ideological spectrum criticized Trump for taking Putin’s word over that of U.S. intelligence officials who report that Russians interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

Like Trump, the critics showed no signs of backing down.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, said he was glad to see criticism from both parties. A day after saying that Putin probably celebrated the Trump meeting with caviar, Corker called for legislation to counter some of the president's foreign policy moves, including tariffs on imports.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

"As the president taxes Americans with tariffs, he pushes away our allies and further strengthens Putin," Corker tweeted. "It is time for Congress to step up and take back our authorities." 

During his morning tweet session, Trump also defended the Putin news conference by citing the thoughts of a rare supporter who stuck up for him: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.

"Thank you @RandPaul, you really get it!" Trump tweeted, citing a comment by the Kentucky senator that "the President has gone through a year and a half of totally partisan investigations - what’s he supposed think?”

Paul was one of the few Republicans to defend the president after he accepted Putin's denials that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, despite the conclusions of U.S. intelligence officials that Russians hacked Democratic officials and pushed fake news to help Trump.

While taking Putin's side, Trump also condemned the ongoing investigation of Russia as a "disaster" driving a wedge between the United States and Russia.

More:Republicans blast Trump meeting with Putin as 'shameful' and 'sign of weakness'

More:Analysis: Friends or foes? Trump's embrace of Putin prompts backlash

More:OnPolitics Today: Russian Roulette

For his part, Putin scoffed at a reporter's question as to whether the Russians had compromising information on Trump — but did not answer the question.

Even supporters of Trump were dismayed by the Putin news conference, which capped off a European trip in which he criticized NATO and described the European Union as a "foe."

"President Trump must clarify his statements in Helsinki on our intelligence system and Putin," tweeted former House speaker and long-time Trump backer Newt Gingrich. "It is the most serious mistake of his presidency and must be corrected—-immediately."

At least one Republican, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, called on Trump to resign: "To deny your own country and government in favor of a foreign leader whose country has, for decades, tried to undermine the United States is irrational and dangerous. Please step down, you are not fit to lead this great nation."

In another Tuesday tweet, Trump defended his performance at last week's NATO summit in Brussels, claiming that allies are spending more money on defense at his behest — and throwing in criticism of the media and Russia while he was at it.

NATO countries "will pay hundreds of Billions of Dollars more in the future, only because of me," Trump tweeted. "NATO was weak, but now it is strong again (bad for Russia). The media only says I was rude to leaders, never mentions the money!"

Members of NATO said they were already increasing defense spending, irrespective of Trump. They also questioned Trump's commitment to the alliance, and said his critical comments about both NATO and the EU were pleasing to Putin and the Russians.

Another Republican who backed Trump after his Putin summit: Vice President Mike Pence.

"Disagreements between our countries were discussed at length," Pence told employees at the Commerce Department on Monday, "but what the world saw, what the American people saw, is that President Donald Trump will always put the prosperity and security of America first."

Trump has meetings at the White House on Tuesday, but so far is not scheduled to speak publicly.

There is no White House news briefing scheduled.

One of Trump's meetings is with a group of congressional lawmakers, though the subject is tax cuts rather than Russia.

Still, several Republicans invited to the White House meeting had, only hours earlier, rebuked Trump over his appearance with Putin.

Rep. Peter Roskam, an Illinois Republican who represents the western suburbs of Chicago, said Russian interference in 2016 was “undeniable” and that the president had a “responsibility” to confront Putin.

The “press conference,” Roskam said in a statement Monday, “was an affront to American democracy and the Intelligence Community and a victory for Russian propaganda.”

Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Mich., another White House invitee, said he stood by the assessment of congressional intelligence committees demonstrating Russia’s effort to undermine the election.

"Open diplomatic communication between nuclear superpowers is essential, but lest anyone think otherwise, Vladimir Putin’s Russia is not a friend to the United States," Bishop said in a statement. "We must hold Russia accountable.”

Others were more cautious in their reaction. Republican Rep. Jim Renacci, who represents a central Ohio district, posted on Twitter that “it appears Russia was involved either directly or indirectly” in the election but that he didn’t “believe their involvement affected the outcome."

Congressional Democrats, meanwhile, continued to condemn Trump over his relationship with Putin.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Trump "engaged in a dangerous, disgraceful and damaging show of his Blame America First policy." She called on congressional Republicans to step up efforts to block Russian interference in 2018 congressional races and Trump's likely re-election bid in 2020.

Some Democrats said Trump's comments amount to an impeachable offense, or even treason. John Brennan, the CIA director under President Barack Obama, called Trump's performance "nothing short of treasonous," and said that "he is wholly in the pocket of Putin."

Responding in an interview with Tucker Carlson of Fox News, Trump described Brennan as "a very bad person."