Tipsheet

Trump Says Mueller Probe Drove a 'Wedge' Between US and Russia

Lauretta Brown
Lauretta Brown  |  July 17, 2018 8:00 AM

President Trump defended the remarks he made at a summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin Monday, telling Fox’s Sean Hannity that “it was a good meeting” and referring to the Mueller probe into Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election as a “wedge” between the U.S. and Russia.

"Maybe we’ve just knocked down that wedge, but it has driven a wedge and President Putin said that," Trump told Hannity Monday evening. "One of the early things he said when we started was, 'It's really a shame, because we could do so much good' ... And they drove a phony wedge, it's a phony witch hunt, rigged deal with guys like [FBI agent] Peter Strzok and [former FBI Director] James Comey and [former FBI Deputy Director Andrew] McCabe ... and you can imagine who else. It's a real shame."

Trump emphasized that he and Putin had a good meeting.

"It was just the two of us and interpreters," he said, "and at the end of this meeting, I think we really came to a lot of good conclusions."

"I think we’re doing really well with Russia as of today,” he continued. “I thought we were doing horribly before today ... I think we really had a potential problem."

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Trump has been widely criticized, by both Democratic and GOP leaders, for the meeting with Putin and for his remarks during the press conference downplaying Russian interference.

He tweeted a defense of his friendly treatment of Putin earlier Monday as well.