2016 ELECTION/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump has asked his national security adviser to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Washington this fall, the White House said Thursday [7-19-18]. In a tweet, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said that Mr. Trump had ‘agreed to ongoing working level dialogue between the two security council staffs’ at the summit in Helsinki earlier this week—and had asked John Bolton, the national security adviser, to invite Mr. Putin to visit this fall. ‘Those discussions are already underway,’ she wrote. Mr. Trump has faced sharp rebukes from lawmakers in both parties and diplomats abroad for his conduct at a news conference in Helsinki. He questioned the U.S. intelligence agency finding that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election while standing alongside Mr. Putin. On Tuesday [7-17-18], he sought to reverse his remarks, saying he misspoke, though he has since defended his comments at the news conference and praised his relationship with Mr. Putin. Mr. Trump first offered an informal invitation to Mr. Putin to visit him at the White House during his call with the Russian leader earlier this year in which he congratulated Mr. Putin on his election victory. The invitation took many advisers by surprise as it had not been previously discussed, according to one administration official with direct knowledge.”
–Rebecca Ballhaus and Vivian Salama, “Donald Trump to Invite Vladimir Putin for U.S. Visit This Fall,” The Wall Street Journal, July 19, 2018 5:50 pm