President Donald Trump issued a warning Thursday morning that blamed Congress for the perilous state of the U.S. relationship with Russia.
Trump’s tweet comes one day after he signed a sweeping sanctions bill intended to punish Russia for their meddling in the 2016 election. The sanctions bill, which received a veto-proof bipartisan majority in Congress, limits Trump’s autonomy by requiring congressional approval for any modifications to the legislation. (RELATED: Trump Signs Russian Sanctions But Calls Bill ‘Seriously Flawed’)
Trump signed the legislation behind closed doors and attached a signing statement in which he criticized Congress for limiting his authority with respect to Russia policy.
“Congress could not even negotiate a healthcare bill after seven years of talking. By limiting the Executive’s flexibility, this bill makes it harder for the United States to strike good deals for the American people, and will drive China, Russia, and North Korea much closer together. The Framers of our Constitution put foreign affairs in the hands of the President,” Trump said in the statement. “This bill will prove the wisdom of that choice.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin preemptively responded to the sanctions bill Sunday by expelling 755 American diplomats.
GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas disputed Trump’s assertion that Congress is to blame for the U.S.-Russian hostilities, instead laying the blame directly on Putin.
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