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| 'Close to the stupidest idea': critics lash Trump-Russia cyber security plan | 'Close to the stupidest idea': critics lash Trump-Russia cyber security plan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Republicans have harshly criticised Donald Trump after he revealed that he had discussed forming a cyber security unit with Vladimir Putin. | Republicans have harshly criticised Donald Trump after he revealed that he had discussed forming a cyber security unit with Vladimir Putin. |
| Tweeting after his first meeting with his Russian counterpart on Friday, the US president said now was the time to work constructively with Moscow, pointing to a ceasefire deal in southwest Syria that came into effect on Sunday. | Tweeting after his first meeting with his Russian counterpart on Friday, the US president said now was the time to work constructively with Moscow, pointing to a ceasefire deal in southwest Syria that came into effect on Sunday. |
| “Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe,” he said following their talks at a summit of the G20 nations in Hamburg, Germany. | “Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe,” he said following their talks at a summit of the G20 nations in Hamburg, Germany. |
| Three Republican senators – Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John McCain of Arizona and Mario Rubio of Florida – criticised the idea, saying Moscow could not be trusted after its alleged meddling in the 2016 US election. | Three Republican senators – Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John McCain of Arizona and Mario Rubio of Florida – criticised the idea, saying Moscow could not be trusted after its alleged meddling in the 2016 US election. |
| “It’s not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but it’s pretty close,” Graham told NBC’s Meet the Press program, saying that Trump’s apparent willingness to “forgive and forget” stiffened his resolve to pass legislation imposing sanctions on Russia. | “It’s not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but it’s pretty close,” Graham told NBC’s Meet the Press program, saying that Trump’s apparent willingness to “forgive and forget” stiffened his resolve to pass legislation imposing sanctions on Russia. |
| “There has been no penalty,” McCain, who chairs the Senate armed services committee, told the Face the Nation program according to a CBS transcript. “Vladimir Putin ... got away with literally trying to change the outcome ... of our election.” | “There has been no penalty,” McCain, who chairs the Senate armed services committee, told the Face the Nation program according to a CBS transcript. “Vladimir Putin ... got away with literally trying to change the outcome ... of our election.” |
| “Yes, it’s time to move forward. But there has to be a price to pay,” he added. | “Yes, it’s time to move forward. But there has to be a price to pay,” he added. |
| Rubio, on Twitter, said: “Partnering with Putin on a ‘Cyber Security Unit’ is akin to partnering with (Syrian President Bashar al) Assad on a ‘Chemical Weapons Unit’.” | Rubio, on Twitter, said: “Partnering with Putin on a ‘Cyber Security Unit’ is akin to partnering with (Syrian President Bashar al) Assad on a ‘Chemical Weapons Unit’.” |
| We have no quarrel with Russia or the Russian people. Problem is with Putin & his oppression, war crimes & interference in our elections 1/3 | We have no quarrel with Russia or the Russian people. Problem is with Putin & his oppression, war crimes & interference in our elections 1/3 |
| Partnering with Putin on a "Cyber Security Unit" is akin to partnering with Assad on a "Chemical Weapons Unit". 2/3 | Partnering with Putin on a "Cyber Security Unit" is akin to partnering with Assad on a "Chemical Weapons Unit". 2/3 |
| We have no quarrel with Russia or the Russian people. Problem is with Putin & his oppression, war crimes & interference in our elections 1/3 | We have no quarrel with Russia or the Russian people. Problem is with Putin & his oppression, war crimes & interference in our elections 1/3 |
| Following the criticism, Trump appeared to try to distance himself from his own idea. In a tweet he seemed to say that a cyber security unit with Russia was in fact not on the cards. | |
| The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't-but a ceasefire can,& did! | |
| Trump had argued for rapprochement with Moscow in his campaign but has been unable to deliver because his administration has been dogged by investigations into the allegations of Russian interference in the election and ties with his campaign. | |
| Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the matter, including whether there may have been any collusion on the part of Trump campaign officials, as are congressional committees including both the House and Senate intelligence panels. | Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the matter, including whether there may have been any collusion on the part of Trump campaign officials, as are congressional committees including both the House and Senate intelligence panels. |
| Those probes are focused almost exclusively on Moscow’s actions, lawmakers and intelligence officials say, and no evidence has surfaced publicly implicating other countries despite Trump’s suggestion that others could have been involved. | Those probes are focused almost exclusively on Moscow’s actions, lawmakers and intelligence officials say, and no evidence has surfaced publicly implicating other countries despite Trump’s suggestion that others could have been involved. |
| Moscow has denied any interference, and Trump says his campaign did not collude with Russia. | Moscow has denied any interference, and Trump says his campaign did not collude with Russia. |
| Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN’s State of the Union program Russia could not be a credible partner in a cyber security unit. | Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN’s State of the Union program Russia could not be a credible partner in a cyber security unit. |
| “If that’s our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow,” Schiff added. | “If that’s our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow,” Schiff added. |
| Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, defended the move, arguing that working with Russia on cybersecurity “doesn’t mean we ever trust Russia. | Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, defended the move, arguing that working with Russia on cybersecurity “doesn’t mean we ever trust Russia. |
| “We can’t trust Russia and we won’t ever trust Russia. But you keep those that you don’t trust closer so that you can always keep an eye on ‘em and keep them in check.” | “We can’t trust Russia and we won’t ever trust Russia. But you keep those that you don’t trust closer so that you can always keep an eye on ‘em and keep them in check.” |
| “Everybody knows that Russia meddled in our elections,” she said, appearing to contradict the president. | “Everybody knows that Russia meddled in our elections,” she said, appearing to contradict the president. |
| Trump had tweet that he “strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it.” | Trump had tweet that he “strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it.” |