WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain calls President Donald Trump's press conference "one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory."
The Arizona Republican says the summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki was "a tragic mistake."
The senator says Trump proved not only unable, "but unwilling to stand up to Putin." And he said Trump and Putin "seemed to be speaking from the same script" as Trump made a "conscious choice to defend a tyrant."
McCain, who has been away from the Senate as he battles brain cancer, said the damage inflicted by Trump's "naiveté, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate."
Today’s press conference in #Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) July 16, 2018
My full statement on the #HelsinkiSummit: https://t.co/lApjctZyZl
I never thought I would see the day when our American President would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression. This is shameful.
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) July 16, 2018