海角大神

On Day Two, post-Helsinki summit, President Trump sought to ease the shock and awe over his jaw-dropping disavowal of his own intelligence services, saying he misspoke: He does believe their assessment that Russia meddled in the 2016 election, Mr. Trump stated Tuesday at a meeting with members of Congress.

But the aftershocks of his performance in Helsinki will surely be felt for some time to come.

Never before, in living memory, had an American president stood on foreign soil and sided with a rival foreign leader and against pillars of American government 鈥� in this case, the US intelligence community, Justice Department, and FBI.

Historically, US presidents traveling abroad put domestic politics aside and represent all the American people, not just their supporters. But in Helsinki, Trump seemed caught in the vise of his own apparent belief that evidence of Russian meddling in 2016 created the appearance that he did not legitimately win the election. And so his impulse, a feeling widely shared by his base, has been to push back on all aspects of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation 鈥� the Russian meddling, the possibility that Trump associates colluded with Russia, and obstruction of justice.

鈥淚 accept our intelligence community鈥檚 conclusion that Russia鈥檚 meddling in the 2016 election took place,鈥� Trump said Tuesday afternoon before a meeting at the White House with GOP members of Congress.听But the admission came with caveats: 鈥淐ould be other people also. A lot of people out there. There was no collusion at all.鈥�

The White House also put out a with this title: 鈥淧resident Donald J. Trump is protecting our elections and standing up to Russia鈥檚 malign activities."

Tuesday morning, top members of Congress, both Republican and Democrat, had continued to push back hard on Trump鈥檚 disavowal in Helsinki of his intelligence services鈥� assessment. Trump had made such statements before 鈥� questioning the conclusion of Russian meddling 鈥� but to do so standing next to Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, at a post-summit press conference, was almost incomprehensible.

鈥淭hey did interfere in our elections 鈥� it鈥檚 really, clear,鈥� House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Tuesday morning, reinforcing his Monday of outrage and suggesting openness to new sanctions. 鈥淩ussia is a menacing government that does not share our interests, and it does not share our values.鈥�

Speaker Ryan鈥檚 comments were mild compared with those of Democrats and 鈥渘ever-Trumper鈥� Republicans, who used words like 鈥渟hameful鈥� and 鈥渄isgraceful鈥� to describe Trump鈥檚 statements 鈥� or, in the case of former CIA chief John Brennan, 鈥渢reasonous.鈥� Few Republican members of Congress came to Trump鈥檚 defense, an exception being Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson also defended Trump, but former House Speaker Newt Gingrich 鈥� usually a Trump stalwart 鈥� said that he had committed 鈥渢he worst mistake of his presidency.鈥�

Support for Russia among Republicans nearly doubles

Where this episode leaves the president politically remains to be seen, particularly as it has shined a light on Trump鈥檚 habit of giving Russia the benefit of the doubt. On July 13, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats 鈥� likening the situation to the period before 9/11. Trump鈥檚 posture has raised speculation that the Russians have compromising information on him, an issue that came up at the Helsinki press conference.

But it鈥檚 far from certain that Trump鈥檚 performance with Mr. Putin is a turning point, at least domestically. Republican voters鈥� views of Russia have under Trump, and as with many of the president鈥檚 norm-busting actions, his supporters may well go along with the latest twist and turns, in spite of the initial shock expressed by many GOP elites.

鈥淟et鈥檚 see how the country responds over the next several weeks,鈥� in the run-up to the November midterms, says Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. 鈥淚s there a movement in polls among Republicans in the Midwest, who might be having doubts about trade and Putin?鈥�

While 40 percent of Republicans say they view Russia as an ally, up from 22 percent four years ago, according to , they鈥檙e still a minority within their own party. And given that Trump鈥檚 warmth toward Russia and Putin represents a recent shift from the longstanding Republican view of suspicion and outright hostility toward Russia, and before that the communist Soviet Union, this spike in Republicans鈥� positive view may not last.

鈥淲hile polling has shown a broad change in Republicans鈥� assessment of Russia and Putin, that鈥檚 not bone deep,鈥� says Professor Jillson. 鈥淢any of these are lifelong Republicans who grew up and spent the bulk of their life disdaining Russia and now see Putin as the great enemy.鈥�

Many Republicans in Congress still hew to that view of the Russians.

"I don鈥檛 think we can let them get away with what they鈥檙e doing, and I don鈥檛 think the president鈥檚 remarks have been very effective either,鈥� Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) of Utah, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said in a brief Monitor interview before Trump reversed himself on Russian meddling.听

Democrats unmollified

Like Speaker Ryan, Senator Hatch also suggested the possibility of new sanctions legislation against Russia, but added, 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure of a probability.鈥�

Democrats, for their part, were not willing to forgive and forget after Trump鈥檚 attempt at damage control.

In a statement, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York called Trump鈥檚 statement 鈥�24 hours too late, and in the wrong place.鈥�

鈥淚f the president can鈥檛 say directly to President Putin that he is wrong and we are right and our intelligence agencies are right, it鈥檚 ineffective, and worse, another sign of weakness,鈥� Senator Schumer said.

Staff writer Francine Kiefer contributed to this report.