Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci says President Donald Trump must waste no time in disavowing his Helsinki press conference comments, where Trump appeared to doubt U.S. intelligence and accepted Russia President Vladimir Putin's denials of Russian election meddling.
Trump made a "strategic mistake" Monday that will drive his supporters into an alliance with opposition Democrats, Scaramucci warned on CNN. "He's got to reverse course."
"I'd be issuing a statement," Scaramucci added. He said Trump must quickly say that he misspoke and that "the evidence is obviously irrefutable."
Scaramucci added, "The optics of the situation are a disaster."
Swift and sweeping condemnation from Republicans as well as Democrats met Trump's defense of Putin and continued doubt over Russian election meddling.
Lawmakers and former intelligence officials appeared shocked, dismayed and uneasy with Trump's suggestion Monday that he believes Putin's denial over the assessment of U.S. intelligence officials and the Justice Department.
One of the sharpest reactions came from Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who called Trump's remarks in Helsinki "one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory."
Other Republicans have been scathing, too. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska called it "bizarre," Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona called it "shameful," and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina tweeted that it was a "bad day for the U.S."
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