Arizona Republican Jeff Flake introduced a non-binding resolution expressing support for the U.S. intelligence community alongside Delaware Democrat Chris Coons on Wednesday afternoon.
The resolution, if passed, would reaffirm the Senate’s support for the intelligence community and would push for the chamber to hold hearings to learn more about the one-on-one meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held in Helsinki on Monday. Flake and Coons drafted the symbolic measure in response to President Donald Trump’s widely condemned remarks during a press conference after the summit, when he publicly sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin over his own intelligence analysts on the issue of Russian election meddling.
Flake told reporters that he and Coons would attempt to pass the measure by unanimous consent this week. Coons told CNN on Tuesday that even though the resolution would not have the force of law, “there is real value in having a broad bipartisan statement” to push back on the president’s comments and to express support for intelligence officials and special counsel Robert Mueller.
Trump walked back his comments on Tuesday, but he appeared to double down on his original stance throughout the day Wednesday. In the morning, Trump asserted via Twitter that, “So many people at the higher ends of intelligence loved my press conference performance in Helsinki.” And after an afternoon Cabinet meeting, Trump was asked whether Russia was still targeting the United States. In response, the president split with the clear position of Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats — who has said that Russian aggression continues today — answering instead, “No.”
Flake, a frequent critic of the president, told reporters that Trump was incorrect in that remark. “He’s wrong. I have confidence in our intelligence community,” Flake said. “And Dan Coats has said again and again and again that it’s ongoing, and any of us who have been through classified briefings on the threat realizes that [Russia is] still at it.”
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders later claimed that Trump was saying “no” because he did not want to answer questions from reporters.
Still, Flake said he was baffled as to why the president has been so reluctant to accept the conclusions of his own intelligence officials. “Frankly, they’re pretty darn good,” he said. “The president would be well served and would well serve the public to have confidence in the intelligence community and actually fend off what’s surely to come in 2018 if we put our guard down.”
Asked what he would say to frustrated members of American intelligence agencies right now, Flake answered, “Congress still believes in you. And we’ll say so.”
“I think they know that. I think they appreciate that. But it certainly doesn’t help when the president doesn’t express confidence in them.”
