[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 119 (Monday, July 16, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4960-S4961]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Trump-Putin Summit

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, like any patriotic American--Democrat, 
Republican, or Independent--I was appalled by the press conference that 
capped off the President's trip to Europe this morning. President Trump 
hardly pressed President Putin on a single issue, saying that ``both 
countries'' are responsible for the state of relations between the 
United States and Russia.
  When it comes to interference in the 2016 elections, the President 
has managed to point the finger at just about everyone except the 
culprit. The one person he hasn't blamed is the man who is actually 
responsible--Vladimir Putin. Rather than taking the opportunity to 
confront Putin and stand up in defense of the United States, rather 
than demanding that Putin hand over the Russian intelligence agents who 
were indicted last week, the President took the word of the KGB over 
the brave, hard-working men and women of the CIA. It is amazing. When 
has a President ever done something like that--believed our enemies 
instead of our own intelligence agents, who have worked so diligently 
and hard to keep us safe?
  Vladimir Putin's goal for over a decade has been the weakening of 
American leadership and the erosion of vital international alliances, 
such as NATO, that promote American values of democracy, freedom, and 
open markets. He has labored for 10 years, and he didn't get very far, 
and now President Trump is handing him the keys to the city.
  President Putin could hardly have scripted a more successful foreign 
trip for his interests than the one we have just witnessed by President 
Trump. Now, because of President Trump's inexplicable actions, 
Americans and citizens of the world from one end to the other are 
scratching their heads, saying: What is going on inside the President's 
head? Because of the President's almost inexplicable actions, a single, 
ominous question hangs over the White House: What could possibly cause 
the President to put the interests of Russia over those of the United 
States? Millions of Americans will continue to wonder if the only 
possible explanation for this dangerous and inexplicable behavior is 
the possibility--the very real possibility--that President Putin holds 
damaging information over President Trump.
  The questions of the moment--now that our security has been put at 
risk by the President--are these: Where are our Republican colleagues? 
Where are the Republicans who cheered Reagan's famous challenge to 
Gorbachev to ``tear down this wall''? Where are the Republicans who 
demanded a strong response from President Obama when Putin annexed 
Crimea? Where are the Republicans who surely know in their hearts that 
trusting Putin over American intelligence, defense, and law enforcement 
diminishes the standing of our great country?
  Now is the time, if there ever were one, for Republicans to stand up. 
If we wait much longer, our global alliance will fracture; the 
institutions America created in the ashes of World War II will crumble; 
and our allies will consider abandoning us, maybe even embracing China, 
if the consequences--economic and military--are devastating for our 
country; and Putin's Russia will emerge all the stronger for

[[Page S4961]]

it. American power, prestige, and even our economy will be deeply 
damaged.
  I am pleading--pleading--with my Republican colleagues to push back 
by doing four things:
  First, ratchet up--not water down--sanctions against Russia.
  Second, join us in demanding that the President's national security 
team immediately come to Congress and testify.
  Third, end attacks by so many on the hard right on the Department of 
Justice, the FBI, and Special Counsel Mueller. These attacks are beyond 
the pale, but now that the President has done this with Putin, these 
attacks are dangerous to the future of the Republic.
  The special counsel needs to finish his work. The President needs to 
sit for an interview with the special counsel, as previous Presidents 
have done and as Republicans demanded of President Clinton.
  The President has no problem breaking bread with a man who 
maliciously attacked America during our elections, but he can't sit 
down with a man charged with investigating it--Special Counsel Mueller. 
Please. What is the President afraid of? What is he hiding that we 
don't know?
  Fourth, our Republican colleagues must demand with us that the 
President insist that the 12 indicted Russians be sent to the United 
States immediately to stand trial.
  Every one of these actions is important. Every one should be 
bipartisan. Every one of our Republican colleagues, no matter what 
their ideologies within the Republican Party are, should choose country 
over party--what is good for America over the politics of the moment. 
Let us show strength and not fear when President Trump shows weakness, 
as he has today.
  I am asking Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan, both friends, to make 
sure the four things we have asked for are done. I am pleading with 
them, for the sake of the country, to do so.
  The President is doing grave harm to the standing of the United 
States, to the strength of the United States, to the security of the 
United States, and to the economic robustness of the United States by 
kowtowing to Vladimir Putin. The President will continue to do it if he 
is not checked, and the best check is our Republican colleagues, if 
they only have the decency, the honor, and the courage to stand up at a 
time when the moment calls for it. Some have--Senator McCain, Senator 
Graham, and Senator Sasse--but where are the others? Where is Leader 
McConnell?
  The summit today was an insult to all Americans--Democrats, 
Republicans, and Independents. We have to stand up together and push 
back.