WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement regarding President Trump’s joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin:

“That press conference was a disgrace.

“The President has just committed a shocking betrayal of his duties: dismissing Russia’s attack on American democracy while standing on foreign soil next to America’s chief adversary. He accepted the brazen lies of Vladimir Putin over the unanimous conclusions of America’s intelligence and law enforcement communities. These actions are especially egregious coming only days after Special Counsel Bob Mueller indicted 12 Putin-directed operatives for interfering in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump.

“A president who truly honored his oath of office would have confronted the Russian dictator with the eyes of the world on them. Instead, he was fawning and obsequious, ignoring Russia’s ongoing attack on American democracy, along with Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea, Russian forces waging war in eastern Ukraine, and the Kremlin’s support for the murderous Assad regime.

“Because of the President’s reckless and disgusting behavior, the entire week has been a disaster for American leadership and our standing in the world. What will it finally take for my Republican colleagues in Congress to stop covering for this President and stand up for our country?”

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