Article snippet: MORE’s keenly anticipated summit on Monday in Helsinki with Russian President Vladimir Putin surpassed all expectations on newsworthiness. Here are the main takeaways. A jaw-dropper, even by Trump’s standards Trump’s news conference with Putin was extraordinary, even by the standards of a president who has embraced chaos and controversy like no recent predecessor. Trump made clear he does not accept the word of the U.S. intelligence community that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. He also said “I don't see any reason why it would be” Russia — a perplexing assertion given the historically adversarial relationship between the two nations. U.S. intelligence personnel “came to me and … they said they think it's Russia. I have President Putin; he just said it's not Russia,” Trump said in Helsinki, astonishing observers across the political spectrum. Trump was also asked whether he blamed Russia at all for the tense relations between the two countries. In response, he said he held “both countries responsible” — a moral equivalence that recalled his infamous equivocations about the violence instigated by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va., a year ago. It is inconceivable that any other president of recent times would have behaved or spoken as Trump did in Helsinki. But will there be a political price to pay? Republicans and outside allies join chorus of disapproval Trump is so polarizing — loathed by Democrats but with rock-solid approval ratings among ... Link to the full article to read more