Trump has today succumbed to criticism, saying he misspoke and meant to say he didn’t have any reason to doubt Russian interference with the 2016 election.
US President Donald Trump has directed his national security adviser, John Bolton to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to Washington, the White House says.
"President Trump asked @Ambjohnbolton to invite President Putin to Washington in the fall and those discussions are already underway," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a Twitter post.
In Helsinki, @POTUS agreed to ongoing working level dialogue between the two security council staffs. President Trump asked @Ambjohnbolton to invite President Putin to Washington in the fall and those discussions are already underway.
The White House says Mr Trump "disagrees" with Mr Putin's offer to allow the US to question 12 Russians accused of interfering in the 2016 election in exchange for permitting Russia to interview Americans the Kremlin accuses of unspecified crimes.
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland. Photo / AP
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the proposal was "made in sincerity" by Mr Putin, but Mr Trump "disagrees with it."
She said the US hopes Mr Putin will have the Russians indicted on charges brought by the US Department of Justice "come to the United States to prove their innocence or guilt."
The White House rejected Mr Putin's offer as the Republican-controlled Senate prepared to issue a rebuke to Trump by going on record against the offer.
Mr Putin made what Mr Trump called an "incredible offer" during a joint press conference concluding their summit in Helsinki, for which Mr Trump received bipartisan condemnation at home.
The White House had said it was under consideration, even though the State Department called Russia's allegations against the Americans "absurd."
In an interview with The Christian Broadcasting Network on Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "that's not going to happen."
"The administration is not going to send, force Americans to travel to Russia to be interrogated by Vladimir Putin and his team," Mr Pompeo said.
The Russian claims against the Americans, including former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, involve allegations of fraud and corruption.
Congressional Republicans have criticized the White House for even considering the offer, while McFaul has called it a "ridiculous request from Mr Putin."
