Trump tries to change the subject as Russia fallout rattles GOP

Bloomberg

President Donald Trump is changing the subject — but it’s not clear how easily Republicans in Congress will be able to move on.
After days of backlash over his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump sought refuge in the populism that won him office. He threatened China with more tariffs, accused the European Union of currency manipulation and bashed the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates.
Republican lawmakers who’ve largely stood by Trump despite his serial self-made controversies and conflicts were pushed to the breaking point this week by his seeming embrace of Putin and his casting doubt on American intelligence agencies. But it’s a contained fury — so far — without evidence that Trump’s support from the Republican Party’s core voters is slipping.
“The base has gone all-in on Trump the man, that the policies are secondary, even when he clearly demonstrates he is not the strong, tough talker,” said Doug Heye, a former Republican National Committee spokesman and GOP House aide who has been a Trump critic.
“But, if we see a cratering of Trump’s numbers, especially as we are now well beyond most primaries, and the drumbeat becomes again about a Blue Wave, that could lead some — though maybe not a lot — of Republicans to act.”
New voices of dissent are emerging. Republican Representative Will Hurd of Texas, a former CIA officer, wrote an in the New York Times saying Trump is being manipulated by Russian intelligence.
“By playing into Vladimir Putin’s hands, the leader of the free world actively participated in a Russian disinformation campaign that legitimised Russian denial and weakened the credibility of the United States to both our friends and foes abroad,’’ Hurd, who represents a swing district, wrote.
Serious criticism of Trump from within the GOP to date had mostly come from lawmakers who have decided not to run for re-election.
This time, the Senate unanimously passed what effectively amounted to a rare rebuke of the president, though cast as a statement of principle. The resolution, approved 98-0, challenged Trump for considering Putin’s request to question US officials, including former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul.
The Senate called on the US to refuse to make any officials available for interrogation by Putin’s government.
Trump was trying to turn attention elsewhere. He fired another warning shot in the trade dispute with China by saying he’s “ready” to impose tariffs on $500 billion in Chinese
imports — a rallying point for his voters — while also accusing China and the European Union of manipulating their currencies and launching a new broadside against the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates.
The pivot reprises a Trump pattern of responding to political pressure by shifting attention to populist causes that rev up his most loyal followers, though White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said the president wasn’t being opportunistic.
“I just reject the premise that the president changes the subject to court the base in times of controversy,” Conway said.

Accused Russian agent ordered to be held in US jail
Bloomberg

A 29-year-old woman accused of conspiring to establish a back channel between Russians and American politicians was ordered held in a US jail, after prosecutors cited her ties to Russia’s intelligence services.
Mariia Butina pleaded not guilty but was unsuccessful in a bid to be released on bail. Prosecutors told a judge that Butina, a gun-rights advocate who was in the US on a student visa, was likely to flee the country if allowed out.
“Because Butina has been exposed as an illegal agent of Russia, there is the grave risk that she will appeal to those within that government with whom she conspired to aid her escape from the United States,” prosecutors said “Butina presents an extreme flight risk.”
The FBI uncovered evidence that Butina appeared to be “in contact with officials believed to be Russian intelligence operatives” during her time in the US.