Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is demanding President Donald Trump cancel his upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the wake of new indictments filed against Russian intelligence operatives for interfering in the 2016 presidential election.
Schumer tweeted Trump should "cancel the Putin meeting now" on Friday after Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein unveiled irrefutable proof that Russian intelligence attacked mounted a covert operation to influence American voters.
Schumer's request follows Rosenstein's remarks during a press conference outlining that he informed the president of the Justice Department's intent to indict Russian nationals earlier this week.
Schumer also issued a statement that read:
President Trump should cancel his meeting with Vladimir Putin until Russia takes demonstrable and transparent steps to prove that they won't interfere in future elections. Glad-handing with Vladimir Putin on the heels of these indictments would be an insult to our democracy.
Other Democrats are echoing Schumer's call to cancel the summit:
And now John McCain has weighed in as well, stopping just short of joining the calls for Trump to cancel his meeting.
Twitter replied with mockery of Trump and Putin's curious bromance, as well as Trump's inexplicable capitulation to Russian interests.
Responses to Schumer's tweet included wishes for Trump to "defect to Russia" and calls for postponing Senate hearings on Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court.
Civil rights lawyer Angel Guisado said the Senate should "indefinitely postpone [Brett] Kavanaugh’s confirmation process while a sitting president is under investigation for possible collusion with a foreign entity that brought about that same presidents election.”
Concerns over potential Supreme Court rulings on the future of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, including whether the president could potentially pardon himself, or if a sitting president can be indicted, have been circulating through the political world since Trump announced his choice to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy on Monday.
Trump is set to meet with Putin on Monday in Helsinki, Finland in a closed-door meeting in which only translators for both leaders will be present.
This has American and European officials worried about what Trump may concede to Russia, including Putin's illegal 2014 invasion and annexation of Crimea, Ukraine.
Last week, CNN national security analyst and historian Max Boot said: “The Europeans are petrified that he is going to sell them out and he is going to recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea.”
Trump blamed President Barack Obama for Russia’s actions and has hinted he may cede recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea to Putin.
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