President Donald Trump told reporters Monday that Russian president Vladimir Putin denied meddling in the 2016 presidential election. It has been met with nationwide uproar, including from Arizona's senators.
Sen. John McCain said in a statement that Trump's press conference in Helsinki was "one of the most disgraceful performances by a president in memory." He added that Trump proved "not only unable but unwilling to stand up to Putin" as Trump accepted Putin's denial of election meddling.
Sen. Jeff Flake tweeted that he wouldn't think he'd see the day when an American president would place blame on the United States for Russia's aggression, calling it "shameful."
I never thought I would see the day when our American President would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression. This is shameful.
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) July 16, 2018
The two Republican senators have been critics of Trump since before the election.