Washington, DC
Congressman Richard E. Neal released the following statement today after President Donald J. Trump made controversial comments about Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential elections at a summit in Helsinki, Finland, with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Last week, President Trump was highly critical of some of our closest European allies and friends when he questioned the value of NATO at an international summit in Belgium. By any objective standard, NATO has been one of the most successful peacetime military alliances of democratic nations on the globe. It has a long and unparalleled record of defeating Marxism, fascism and totalitarianism in every corner in the world. And for President Trump to chastise the 28 members of the trans-Atlantic partnership that has brought peace and prosperity to the region was regrettable. In Helsinki this morning, the American people witnessed something even more stunning and unprecedented. The President of the United States took the side of a former KGB officer on foreign soil over the best judgement of our intelligence agencies regarding Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. The evidence of Russia meddling in our elections is clear and overwhelming. Yet President Trump continues to believe an adversary like Vladimir Putin more than America’s national security professionals. I find this deeply troubling,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal.
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