President Trump has taken to Twitter to voice his concerns over how the so-called 'Fake News Media' was handling his approach to Russia, warning that they "badly" wanted "to see a major confrontation with Russia," even if this "could lead to war."
The Fake News Media wants so badly to see a major confrontation with Russia, even a confrontation that could lead to war. They are pushing so recklessly hard and hate the fact that I’ll probably have a good relationship with Putin. We are doing MUCH better than any other country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 19 июля 2018 г.
The media, according to the president, are acting "recklessly," and hate that he will "probably have a good relationship with Putin."
Calling "the Fake News Media" the "real enemy of the people," Trump said that his summit with Putin "was a great success," adding that he was looking forward to a second meeting with the Russian president to discuss important issues such as fighting terrorism, Israel's security, nuclear proliferation, and many other issues.
The Summit with Russia was a great success, except with the real enemy of the people, the Fake News Media. I look forward to our second meeting so that we can start implementing some of the many things discussed, including stopping terrorism, security for Israel, nuclear……..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 19 июля 2018 г.
….proliferation, cyber attacks, trade, Ukraine, Middle East peace, North Korea and more. There are many answers, some easy and some hard, to these problems…but they can ALL be solved!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 19 июля 2018 г.
Trump also accused the media of "going Crazy!" in their effort to "make up stories without any backup, sources or proof" to attack him.
The Fake News Media is going Crazy! They make up stories without any backup, sources or proof. Many of the stories written about me, and the good people surrounding me, are total fiction. Problem is, when you complain you just give them more publicity. But I’ll complain anyway!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 19 июля 2018 г.
President Trump's summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday was broadly condemned by former US officials, politicians and media. Ex-CIA chief John Brennan called Trump's performance "treasonous." Clinton-era secretary of state Madeleine Albright accused him of being the "gift that keeps giving to Putin." A host of lawmakers, Democrat and Republican, attacked Trump over the fact that he appeared to disagree US intelligence claims that Russia meddled in the 2016 election. Trump clarified those remarks the next day, saying that he did believe that Russia had meddled. Trump responded to his critics by saying that the "haters" were just angry that he didn't turn the summit with Putin into a "boxing match."
Also on Thursday, President Putin told diplomats that although Moscow and Washington had begun work to restore relations, they presently remain at levels which are in many ways worse than they were during the Cold War.