President Donald Trump apparently did not consult with his intelligence team before inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House.
The Director of National Intelligence, just days after being forced to issue a public statement contradicting Trump’s false claim in Helsinki that Russia did not interfere in the U.S. election, learned on live TV that the man who directed a years-long covert counter-intelligence campaign designed the foment division throughout the country and mistrust in the electoral system will be hosted in the Oval Office.
“We have some breaking news,” MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell announced on live TV, in the middle of her interview of National Intelligence Director Dan Coats. “The White House has announced on Twitter that Vladimir Putin is coming to the White House in the fall.”
Coats can be seen squirming and chuckling nervously.
“Say that again?” Coats, leaning in to Mitchell, asks, while at the Aspen Security Forum.
The audience laughed.
Mitchell, seemingly dumbfounded upon learning the news, laughed nervously as well.
“OK,” Coats sighed. “That’s going to be special.”
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