White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that President Trump Donald John TrumpTrump says he doesn't want to use 'adversary' to describe Russia Comey urges Americans to vote for Democrats in midterms Roby wins Alabama GOP runoff, overcoming blowback from Trump criticism MORE will discuss allowing Russian investigators to come to the United States to question U.S. citizens, including a former American ambassador to Russia.
Sanders said during a White House press briefing that Trump is “gonna meet with his team” to talk about the potential for Russian officials to question U.S. citizens like Michael McFaul, who was ambassador to Russia from January 2012 to February 2014.
“There was some conversation about it, but there wasn’t a commitment made on behalf of the United States,” Sanders said. “The president will work with his team and we’ll let you know if there’s an announcement on that front.”
NEW: Sanders says there was "some conversation" between Trump, Putin about possibility of Russia questioning U.S. figures, including former Amb. McFaul, "but there wasn't a commitment made...the president will work with his team and we'll let you know if there's an announcement." pic.twitter.com/UnubKsNmrr — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 18, 2018
Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a press conference with Trump on Monday that the Kremlin would permit special counsel Robert Mueller Robert Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe MORE’s team to travel to Russia and attend the questioning of 12 Russian intelligence officers indicted in the probe, if Russia is allowed to help interrogate some people “who have something to do with illegal actions in the territory of Russia.”
Russia state-owned outlet RT reported that Russia wanted to question McFaul and Christopher Steele, author of the so-called Steele dossier, and others in its investigation into American financier Bill Browder. Browder is a prominent critic of Putin who lobbied on behalf of the Magnitsky Act, which imposed sanctions against Russia.
During Monday's press conference, Putin alleged without evidence that Browder illegally transferred $1.5 billion out of Russia and had funneled $400 million toward Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonOvernight Defense: Trump tries to quell Russia furor | GOP looks to reassure NATO | Mattis open to meeting Russian counterpart Dem pollster: GOP women have a more difficult time winning primary races than Dems Mellman: (Mis)interpreting elections MORE’s presidential campaign. The Russian prosecutor’s office later corrected that figure to $400,000.
The State Department on Wednesday called the "overall assertions" made by the Russian government "absolutely absurd" but a spokeswoman refused to weigh in on Trump's decision about possible interviews.
"Well, I can't answer on behalf of the White House with regard to that," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said at a press briefing. "But what I can tell you is that the overall assertions that have come out of the Russian government are absolutely absurd. The fact that they want to question 11 American citizens and the assertions that the Russian government is making about those American citizens, we do not stand by those assertions that the Russian government makes."
She also noted that she understood why the request to interview Americans would be "a grave concern to our former colleagues here."
McFaul denounced the possibility of being questioned by Russian officials, and he called on Trump to condemn the proposal.
Hey WH press Corps, can you confirm tomorrow with @PressSec that Putin discussed me personally in his one on one with Trump? Did he suggest that I was part of some alleged money laundering scheme? And did Trump push back on this completely invented , whacko idea? — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 17, 2018
Exactly. Putin feels that he has an ally in @realDonaldTrump in going after me & the other US government officials on that list. President Trump could clear that up in one tweet or statement. https://t.co/utNAkKx5bG — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 18, 2018
I really hope Trump did not agree with this "great deal" with Putin in Helsinki: "Russia wants to question Christopher Steele, Michael McFaul, top politicians for aiding Bill Browder" — RT World News https://t.co/Tv1q6pBNUF — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 18, 2018
It sure looks that way right now. I hope @SecPompeo and @PressSec will clear up the record today. https://t.co/w1i4CTbloH — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 18, 2018
FatherWeebles on July 18th, 2018 at 22:58 UTC »
What the flying fuck is going on
Oak987 on July 18th, 2018 at 21:34 UTC »
Congress, Supreme Court, hello? Anybody home?
The government has three equal branches for a reason.
in_mediares on July 18th, 2018 at 21:03 UTC »
more specifically (and worryingly, so) putin is targeting former us ambassador to russia michael mcfaul, who putin has said was in cahoots with bill browder - the guy putin's been after for years.
the idea that a foreign govt would be allowed to interrogate a former ambassador is unprecedented. and insane. just like trump.