Shaheen Calls for Congressional Hearing with Trump’s Helsinki Interpreter

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, called for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to request that the Administration allow for Congress to receive testimony from the U.S. interpreter present in President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s private meeting in Helsinki, Finland.

“Yesterday, President Trump handed global leadership and stature—free of charge—to Vladimir Putin, a man who has spent his entire life working against the interests of the United States and who brutally suppresses and murders his own citizens,” said Shaheen.

Shaheen has condemned the President’s remarks that put Vladimir Putin over American intelligence agencies, and the men and women working tirelessly to protect the United States from Putin’s aggression. Today, Shaheen called for Trump to apologize to the intelligence community and to commit his unwavering support to those bravely serving in American intelligence agencies.

Senator Shaheen is also calling for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to convene a hearing with the American interpreter present for the Trump-Putin private meeting, and stated, “I believe the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should hold a hearing with the American interpreter who was present during President Trump and President Putin’s private meeting to determine what was specifically discussed and agreed to on the United States’ behalf.”

Last week, Senator Shaheen called on President Trump to confront Putin about the indictment of 12 Russian nationals for Russia’s attack on the 2016 US elections, and the Kremlin’s continued efforts to meddle in elections in the United States and other western democracies. Senator Shaheen has led efforts in Congress to hold Russia accountable for its election interference, and was the first legislator to call for hearings into their meddling. Because of her role as a negotiator on Russia sanctions legislation known as “CAATSA” and her efforts to hold Russia accountable for its aggression, Shaheen was sanctioned by the Kremlin in December.

Senator Shaheen participated in the 2018 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit with Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) in her capacity as co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer group. The Senators re-established the Observer Group in February to include an expanded mission to monitor NATO’s rapidly developing needs and capabilities. At the Summit, Senator Shaheen underscored the United States’ bipartisan commitment to NATO, and discussed her efforts to strengthen the NATO alliance.