MEDIA/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “When President Donald Trump insisted he meet his Russian counterpart one-on-one, he cited the potential for leaks as rationale to bar aides from attending the session. Four days later, a dearth of information from that scrutinized encounter has extended not only to the media, but to officials within Trump’s own administration, who are still working to determine what agreements, if any, were struck between the two leaders during their lengthy private talks. As Trump and his aides spent another day mopping up the political mess created by Trump’s remarks following the meeting, questions about what occurred inside the private talks have only mounted. The latest reversal came Thursday. Press secretary Sarah Sanders, a day after telling reporters the White House was considering a proposal by Putin to interrogate Americans in exchange for assistance on the US Russia probe, indicated Trump ‘disagreed’ with the idea — even though Trump on Monday deemed it an ‘incredible offer.’ How Trump responded in real time to Putin’s suggestion is unknown. Sitting for more than two hours underneath gilt chandeliers in the Gothic Hall of Helsinki’s presidential palace, Trump and Putin conferred on a range of topics, from Syria to nuclear weapons to election meddling.”
-Kevin Liptak, Nicole Gaouette and Elise Labott, “Reversals and clean-up deepen questions about Trump and Putin’s one-on-one,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, July 19, 2018 7:09 pm