President Donald Trump said on Monday that everyone involved has been foolish when it comes to relations between the United States and Russia.
Trump joined Russian President Vladimir Putin at a joint press conference in Helsinki where he was asked by a reporter about a tweet he sent earlier in the day about American "foolishness and stupidity." Trump said in the tweet that the foolishness and stupidity throughout past administrations caused poor relations between two of the world's most powerful countries.
"Our relationship with Russia has NEVER been worse thanks to many years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity and now, the Rigged Witch Hunt!" Trump tweeted.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1018738368753078273
"Do you hold Russia at all accountable for anything in particular, and if so, what would you consider then that they are responsible for?" the reporter asked.
"Yes, I do. I hold both countries responsible. I think that the United States has been foolish, I think we've all been foolish," Trump said. "We should have had this dialogue a long time ago, a long time frankly before I got to office, and I think we're all to blame."
Trump affirmed the importance of the two world leaders communicating, particularly on the subject of nuclear non-proliferation. The president also criticized the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, led by special counsel Robert Mueller. He reiterated his long-held stance that his campaign was cleanly run and that it did not collude with Russia. Trump said it is "a shame that there could even be a little bit of a cloud over" his defeat of Hillary Clinton in 2016.