Republican Texas Rep. Will Hurd wrote a scathing opinion piece going after President Trump over his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the New York Times that was published on Thursday.
“Over the course of my career as an undercover officer in the C.I.A., I saw Russian intelligence manipulate many people. I never thought I would see the day when an American president would be one of them,” Hurd’s piece called “Trump Is Being Manipulated by Putin. What Should We Do?” began.
He continued, “By playing into Vladimir Putin’s hands, the leader of the free world actively participated in a Russian disinformation campaign that legitimized Russian denial and weakened the credibility of the United States to both our friends and foes abroad.”
Hurd’s comments come less than a week after President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin behind closed doors. Trump then was the recipient of significant bipartisan criticism for his statements during a joint press conference with Putin. Much of the backlash subsided after Trump clarified his original statement that was scrutinized.
“For more than a decade,” Hurd continued, “Russia has meddled in elections around the world, supported brutal dictators and invaded sovereign nations — all to the detriment of United States interests.”
“Today’s press conference in Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in recent memory,” McCain said in a statement. (RELATED: McCain: Trump Putin Presser Was ‘One Of The Most Disgraceful Performances By An American President In History)
“The challenges posed by Russia are no different, and I hope the president shares my conviction that American strength, not weakness, is the best way to preserve a secure world in the face of adversaries like Russia,” Hurd concluded.