Local Lawmakers React To President Trump's Visit With Vladimir Putin
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Helsinki sit down between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is not getting high marks from members of the South Florida congressional delegation.
Trump tossing the U.S. intelligence community under the bus drew some interesting reactions.
"What the president said today is not accurate," said Florida Senator Marco Rubio. "The intelligence community has assembled probably an unparalleled amount of evidence in regards to the Russian, not just efforts to interfere in 2016, but ongoing efforts to interfere in American society."
Trump, while standing next to the Russian leader, said Putin strongly denied his country meddled in the 2016 Presidential Election.
That is contrary to what U.S. intelligence agencies are telling Trump.
"Today Donald Trump became an illegitimate president when he showed the world that his loyalty lies more with Vladimir Putin than the people of the United States," said Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson.
Florida senator Bill Nelson made similar comments following the summit.
"Nobody knows what President Trump and Vladimir Putin said in their private meeting today," said Nelson. "But what president trump said afterwards, and his refusal to accept the fact that Russia interfered in our 2016 election, is alarming, embarrassing and unacceptable."
Trump's performance in Helsinki raised the ire of a number of republicans from both houses of Congress.
"The president's comments in Helsinki were deeply alarming," said Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo. "Russian's meddling in the 2016 election is fact and the recent indictment from Director Mueller and the evidence it outlines proves that."