U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday backtracked on his push for a cyber security unit with Russia, tweeting that he did not think it could happen, only hours after promoting it following his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s second tweet referred to the U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire for southwest Syria which held through the day, according to a monitor and rebels, in the first peacemaking effort of the war by the U.S. government under his administration.
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Earlier, his cyber-security cooperation proposal was met with derision from many in his own party.
Three Republican senators – Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John McCain of Arizona and Marco Rubio of Florida – blasted the idea.
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“It’s not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but it’s pretty close,” Graham told NBC’s “Meet the Press” program, saying that Trump‘s apparent willingness to “forgive and forget” stiffened his resolve to pass legislation imposing sanctions on Russia.
“There has been no penalty,” McCain, who chairs the Senate armed services committee, told CBS’ “Face the Nation” program according to a CBS transcript. “Vladimir Putin … got away with literally trying to change the outcome … of our election.”
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“Yes, it’s time to move forward. But there has to be a price to pay,” he added.
Trump argued for rapprochement with Moscow in his campaign but has been unable to deliver because his administration has been dogged by investigations into the allegations of Russian interference in the election and ties with his campaign.
Moscow has denied any interference, and Trump says his campaign did not collude with Russia.