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Russian meddling: Trump clarifies comments; says 'misspoke' in Helsinki

Putin said he wanted Trump to win the race against Democrat Hillary Clinton

Trump

US President Donald Trump speaks at a rally. Photo: Reuters

Press Trust of India Washington

President Donald Trump says he meant the opposite when he said in Helsinki that he doesn't see why Russia would have interfered in the 2016 US elections.

Back at the White House today, the president told reporters that he said he meant he doesn't see why Russia "wouldn't" be responsible. He also said he accepts the American intelligence community's conclusion that Russia interfered in the election, but he denied that his campaign had colluded in the effort.

Trump spoke a day after returning to the US to nearly universal condemnation of his performance at Russian President Vladmir Putin's side in Helsinki. Putin said he wanted Trump to win the race against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

 

In Helsinki, Trump delivered no condemnation of Russia's interference and refused to say he believes American intelligence agencies over Russia's denials of meddling.




 

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First Published: Jul 18 2018 | 7:16 AM IST

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