![\"\"](\"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/094332aaaa-300x181.jpg\")
International desk: Donald Trump\u2019s unsettling embrace of Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin this week drew derision across the US political spectrum, but it remains to be seen whether Republicans have the will to rein in their president.<\/p>\nInternational desk: Donald Trump\u2019s unsettling embrace of Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin this week drew derision across the US political spectrum, but it remains to be seen whether Republicans have the will to rein in their president.<\/p>\n
The two major American political parties appear largely united in their desire to keep the Kremlin in check, particularly after Trump made the startling assertion in Helsinki Monday, with Putin at his side, that he believed the Russian leader when he said Moscow did not interfere in US elections.<\/p>\n
That globally televised submissiveness to a strongman was interpreted by many as a betrayal of US intelligence agencies, which had collectively declared that Putin and Russia launched a coordinated attack on the American electoral process in 2016.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe walked away from basic reality,\u201d an angry Republican Senator Ben Sasse told colleagues, as he accused Trump of coddling a \u201cthug turned Russian despot.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Trump\u2019s position on Russian interference has shifted repeatedly in recent days, and fresh comments about NATO cast doubt about the alliance\u2019s mutual defense premise, some in Trump\u2019s party signalled they had had enough with his wrecking ball diplomacy and sought to take steps to box him in.<\/p>\n
Republican Senator Jeff Flake, with a Democratic co-sponsor, on Wednesday introduced a non-binding resolution that would reaffirm the intelligence community\u2019s assessment of Russian interference, and assert that Moscow be held accountable for its actions.<\/p>\n
A meatier measure would be a bill, introduced months ago by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democrat Tim Kaine that is gaining traction now, that would automatically sanction Russia for any future election meddling.<\/p>\n
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested Tuesday that he could allow a vote on the legislation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the dam is breaking as it relates to people realizing that we need to have some significant push backs,\u201d Senator Bob Corker told reporters Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoing nothing is political malpractice,\u201d added Senator Lindsey Graham. Russian meddling \u201cis a 9\/11 type scenario that we can actually prevent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Corker has been adamant about passing legislation that would restrict Trump\u2019s ability to impose tariffs, arguing that taxing US allies pushes them away while strengthening Putin.<\/p>\n
But while Corker serves as the powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee \u2014 where Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testifies next week and will certainly be grilled about Helsinki \u2014 he is not running for re-election, and neither is Flake.<\/p>\n
They are liberated to a degree to voice their frustration, but there is little upside in speaking out for other Republicans seeking re-election this November.<\/p>\n
Anti-Trump vitriol has backfired on some lawmakers, notably South Carolina congressman Mark Sanford. Trump raged about him on Twitter, and the lawmaker ultimately lost his Republican primary last month to a Trump loyalist.<\/p>\n
\u2013 \u2018Wave of alarm\u2019 \u2013
\nThere is little sign that Republicans are ready to go nuclear against the president. But with Senate Republicans holding a slim 51-49 majority, and Senator John McCain absent while battling brain cancer, a single defector has the power to gum up Trump\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n
Republicans \u201cshould use their leverage to stop the administration\u2019s priorities\u201d until the Senate passes legislation that protects special counsel Robert Mueller and his Russia probe, and bolsters election security, Senate Democrat Brian Schatz told Politico.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a 51-49 Senate, all we need is one person who wants to be on the right side of history.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pressure is building.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a growing wave of alarm\u201d in both parties, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told AFP.<\/p>\n
Blumenthal and other Democrats want Trump\u2019s interpreter \u2014 the only other American in the room when the American and Russian presidents met privately \u2014 brought before Congress to testify about what transpired between the two men.<\/p>\n
Republicans have not publicly warmed to that idea, but some are interested in hearing from Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton, who were likely debriefed by Trump after his Putin sit-down.<\/p>\n
Major US newspapers, meanwhile, called on the Republicans who control both chambers of Congress to take action.<\/p>\n
The New York Times, in an editorial titled \u201cTime for Republicans to Grow a Spine,\u201d said Congress should pass a resolution censuring the president over his Helsinki debacle.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet Mr. Putin know that not every American politician is eager to be his dancing bear,\u201d the editorial board wrote.<\/p>\n
It also suggested other steps, including boosting the integrity of US election systems and protecting them from further Russian meddling, and calling on Trump to demand the extradition of 12 Russians indicted last week for election interference.<\/p>\n
Even the conservative-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial board wrote that lawmakers need a \u201ccontainment strategy\u201d for Trump.<\/p>\n
\u201cRepublicans and Democrats will unite in Congress, as they should, to limit his diplomatic running room,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
International desk: Donald Trump\u2019s unsettling embrace of Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin this week drew derision across the US political spectrum, but it remains to be seen whether Republicans have the will to rein in their president. The two major American political parties appear largely united in their desire to keep the Kremlin in check, particularly after […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":45692,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2,14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n