House Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans have rejected Democrats’ request that the State Department turn over documents that would explain what President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed in their July one-on-one meeting in Helsinki.
Lawmakers and Americans still don’t know the substance of what was discussed during Trump’s two hour private meeting with Putin, but there is no momentum from the Republican majority on Capitol Hill to compel those details from the administration.
A previous Democratic motion to subpoena the interpreter in the room was blocked by Republicans as well.
Intelligence officials may know what was discussed, but until more details emerge, a majority of Americans believe Putin has something on Trump and even Republican lawmakers are saying Trump is an active participant in Russia’s disinformation campaign.
His own director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, said he wishes Trump took a different tack in Helsinki.