White House Rift Over Russia Deepens After Trump’s Putin Call
- Trump’s congratulations on Putin election prompted rebukes
- New actions against Russia may come in days, people say
White House Rift Over Russia Deepens
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A battle within the White House over how to address Vladimir Putin is intensifying as U.S. President Donald Trump shows little desire to confront the Russian leader on the most controversial issues facing the two nations.
The internal divisions flared this week after Trump congratulated Putin on his re-election without first reviewing written guidance for the phone call, according to a person familiar with the matter. Trump’s felicitation prompted objections from senior Republican lawmakers and worsened tensions among White House aides involved in Russia matters.