President Donald Trump is now claiming he "misspoke" during his Monday press conference in Helsinki with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a statement that made him appear to agree that the Kremlin did not interfere in the 2016 presidential election.
"At a White House pool spray before meeting with Republican members of Congress, the president suggested that he misspoke during his Monday press conference with Putin, in which he signed onto the Russian leader’s 'strong' claim that there was no election interference," Raw Story reported earlier Tuesday.
As the Los Angeles Times's Sarah Wire noted, Trump's insinuated that he believed Putin.
"I have President Putin; he just said it’s not Russia," Trump said in Finland on Monday. "I don’t see any reason why it would be."
Trump's full quote from yesterday: "I have President Putin; he just said it’s not Russia. I don’t see any reason wh… https://t.co/bXMxqL0VFd— Sarah D. Wire (@Sarah D. Wire) 1531852938.0
Twitter, naturally, clamored to hold Trump's feet to the fire for such a serious apparent misstep.
"A man who unironically calls himself a 'very stable genius' claims it took him 30 hours to realize he said 'would' instead of 'wouldn't,'" Open Secrets' Robert Maguire joked.
A man who unironically calls himself a "very stable genius" claims it took him 30 hours to realize he said "would" instead of "wouldn't"— Robert Maguire (@Robert Maguire) 1531853982.0
"This man is the dumbest person on the planet," another user mused.
Donald Trump says he "misspoke" on election meddling and he sees no reason why Russia would not be responsible. Th… https://t.co/prNZAt7xpq— Denizcan James (@Denizcan James) 1531853287.0
Check out more responses below:
So their official position is that basically Trump misspoke and accidentally looked treasonous? This. Is. Really.… https://t.co/r0v5kdSmIX— Zerlina Maxwell (@Zerlina Maxwell) 1531854402.0
Trump's apparent ad lib that the meddling "could be other people also" was also made at his Jan. 11, 2017, press co… https://t.co/uxxPN9UICX— ryan teague beckwith (@ryan teague beckwith) 1531855458.0
"i wasn't agreeing with putin. I was communicating, conversating, associating" https://t.co/IIApZXrYz2— Desus Nice (@Desus Nice) 1531853866.0
President Trump claims he misspoke when he said he was making steamed clams. "No," says Trump. "I said steamed *ha… https://t.co/gF7YyxbBYx— James Santelli, from the union (@James Santelli, from the union) 1531854388.0
Breaking: Trump claims he misspoke on election meddling, now says he sees no reason why it wouldn't be Russia that… https://t.co/WUjwIQhcZZ— Ambassador Rob (@Ambassador Rob) 1531853563.0
I’m not laughing. 😥😥😥😥😥. Oh, hell. YES I AM. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂… https://t.co/Gpb1AaFTx3— Gen Michael Hayden (@Gen Michael Hayden) 1531856052.0
This isn’t as bad as when Trump misspoke at his weddings and said “forsaking all others”— Josh Barro (@Josh Barro) 1531855113.0
It took Trump and the White House 30 hours to realize he misspoke? "This is Showgirls-level accidental hilarity."… https://t.co/VpnE9ezqyn— Noah Shachtman (@Noah Shachtman) 1531853677.0
Just imagine Trump shouting "I DIDN'T MISSPEAK, YOU MISSPOKE! YOU MISSPOKE!" at someone trying to save his ungrateful behind.— Alexandra Erin the Meadow We Can Build a Snowman (@Alexandra Erin the Meadow We Can Build a Snowman) 1531854229.0
Trump says he misspoke in Helsinki - which is what can happen when you: 1) don't take big events seriously enough… https://t.co/L3ANUEAJPS— West Wing Reports (@West Wing Reports) 1531855099.0
Trump: “Apparently I misspoke. I meant to tell those Russian women to NOT pee on the bed in my Moscow hotel room. So that clears that up.”— Rex Huppke (@Rex Huppke) 1531853627.0
Clean up, aisle Trump. He didn't misspeak. He said exactly what he intended to, and he doubled and tripled down u… https://t.co/EeXwDOFbMy— Judy Chu (@Judy Chu) 1531854279.0
Trump yesterday: I don’t think Russia attempted to interfere in our elections, I believe Putin MAGA Twitter: exac… https://t.co/Hg5excailM— Leon Wolf (@Leon Wolf) 1531853338.0
