Speaker Paul Ryan said Tuesday there is no doubt Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, but said President Trump’s apparent denouncement of meddling in Helsinki does not amount to treason.
“We just conducted a yearlong investigation and they did interfere in our election,” Ryan told reporters Tuesday. “It’s really clear. There should be no doubt about that. It’s also clear it did not have a material effect on our elections.”
But when asked if he agrees with former CIA Director John Brennan, who said Trump’s claim that Russia was not involved was treasonous, Ryan said, “I do not.”
Ryan, R-Wis., said he has not talked to Trump since he returned from his European visit and summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said Congress has passed sanctions to punish Russia for the meddling and would add to those sanctions if needed.
“I am more than happy to consider those,” Ryan said.
In a joint press conference Monday with Putin, Trump said he had doubts that Russia would meddle in the election despite an assessment provided by the director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, that there is evidence Russia did interfere. Trump said Putin denied meddling, and Putin publicly denied it during their joint statement.
[Related: Trump’s own intelligence chief distances himself from Russian meddling comments]
Ryan did not fault Trump for seeking common ground with Putin while at the meeting.
“I understand desire and need to have relations,” Ryan said. “That’s perfectly reasonable. But Russia is a menacing government that does not share our interests, that does not share our values.”
