US President faces criticism for conceding Putin’s “election meddling” remark
In a major development in the international political arena President of US Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have committed for improving relations between the two major countries, with Putin saying there was no longer any reason for tensions between their countries.
However, media in both the countries indicate that Trump has lost the battle against Russia while US political circle call it a bad performance by their president in Helsinki.
The two leaders met in the Finnish capital Helsinki on Monday to talk about “everything from trade to military to missiles to China”.
“There are no objective reasons for difficulties [between Russia and the US]. The Cold War is a thing of the past, the situation in the world has drastically changed,” said Putin.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump blamed his country’s past “foolishness and stupidity” for the two powers’ hostile relations.
At a press conference following the summit, Trump praised their “direct, open and deeply productive dialogue” and emphasised the need for continued diplomacy over confrontation. “A productive dialogue is not only good for the United States and good for Russia, but it is good for the world,” he said.
“Our relationship has never been worse than it is now, however that changed as of about four hours ago… To refuse to engage would not accomplish anything.”
Putin said the two countries would need to work together to cope with challenges such as terrorism, international crime, the economy and the environment, while pointing to counterterrorism and cyber security as areas in which they are already doing so.
“As major nuclear powers, we bear special responsibility for maintaining international security,” he said.
Putin said the US and Russia could collaborate to “establish peace and reconciliation” in Syria, with Trump adding by working together to end the conflict, the US and Russia could “save hundreds of thousands of lives”.
The two leaders also committed to securing Israel’s border with Syria in accordance with the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria.
However, quick scanning of Russian and American media indicates that Trump has won while US has lost during the Helsinki summit. Russian media has been appreciative of Putin’s moves while US media and political leaders have started criticizing Trump of being “caved” under Putin’s prowess.
The Moscow Times published its lead story “Trump says ‘No reason to believe’ Russia hacked US election” with a hand-shake picture depicting Putin scaring into Trump’s eyes, give lots of score in favour of Putin.
The story intro say, “US President Donald Trump said on Monday he saw no reason to believe Russia had hacked the 2016 US presidential election to help him win, and Vladimir Putin “was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.”
Moscow Times further reports, “At a rambling news conference after a one-on-one meeting with the Russian president, Trump said not a single critical word about Russia on any of the issues that have brought relations between the Washington and Moscow to a post-Cold War low.”
The Russian daily said, “Asked if he trusted U.S. intelligence agencies which concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, he said he had been told by his CIA chief that it was Russia, but that he saw no reason to believe it.”
However, one of the several tweets Donald Trump posted during transatlantic flight taking him to Washington, his words seemed changed:
As I said today and many times before, “I have GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people.” However, I also recognize that in order to build a brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past – as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along! #HELSINKI2018
Russian official TASS news agency report says, “Russian President Vladimir Putin has called his summit talks with US President Donald Trump the first move towards “clearing the backlog” of problems in relations between the two countries.
It quoted Putin saying, “Of course, numerous problems persist, and we have failed to clear the backlog in full, it was impossible to do this, but I believe we have made the first important step in that direction.”
Putin said, “The talks with President of the United States Mr. Donald Trump were held in a frank, business-like atmosphere,” he said. “I view them as successful and useful.”
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On the other hand CNN reports that after President Donald Trump’s stunning news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, members of Congress including some powerful Republicans were quick to rebuke Trump’s performance on the world stage and Trump’s refusal to call Putin out for interfering in the US election.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, contradicted several comments Trump made during his Helsinki news conference, most notably backing the US intelligence community assessment that Russia meddled with the US 2016 presidential election.
Ryan said, “There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world. That is not just the finding of the American intelligence community but also the House Committee on Intelligence.”
He continued, “The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke briefly with reporters Monday, giving his support to the US intelligence community.
Former Vice President John McCain, a Republican senator from Arizona, who has consistently criticized the President, said Trump’s comments were “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.”
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker said the President “made us look like a pushover” and that Putin was probably eating caviar on the plane home.
“I was very disappointed and saddened with the equivalency that he gave between them (the US intelligence agencies) and what Putin was saying,” said Corker.
Several Republicans in both the houses, even some typically seen as allies of the President, said, in the hours following the Helsinki press conference, that they were concerned over what they heard on Monday.
Senator Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican, Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina Republican, Senator Susan Collins, Maine Republican and many more spoke against Trump’s performance during the summit.
“I am confident former CIA Director and current Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, DNI Dan Coats, Ambassador Nikki Haley, FBI Director Chris Wray, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and others will be able to communicate to the President it is possible to conclude Russia interfered with our election in 2016 without delegitimizing his electoral success,” Gowdy said in a statement.
Meanwhile, New York Times report said,“For nearly two years, Republicans have watched uncomfortably, and often in silence, as President Trump has swatted away accusations that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential race, attacked his own intelligence agencies and flattered President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.”
Stephen Collinson, a CNN analyst writes, “For as long as history remembers Donald Trump, it will be a day that will live in infamy.” He further said, “The President’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday is already one of the most notorious moments in the tortured relations between Washington and Moscow.”
At one point, Collinson writes, “It was his hubris and desire to be unchained from his staff that led him to meet Putin alone for nearly two hours in Helsinki — fueling rumours that he is under the Russian leader’s spell.”
A January 2017 assessment bby theoffice of the Director of National Intelligence (CDN) stated that Russian leadership favored presidential candidate Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, and that Russian president Vladimir Putin personally ordered an “influence campaign” to harm Clinton’s electoral chances and “undermine public faith in the US democratic process”.
Trump says Republicans would have won US midterms if he was on ballot
US President Donald Trump claimed Republicans would have won the 2026 midterm elections in a landslide if he had been on the ballot, as Democrats made significant gains in key congressional contests.
US President Donald Trump has reacted to the Republican Party’s setbacks in the 2026 US midterm elections, claiming that the party would have secured a landslide victory if he had been on the ballot.
Trump made the remark as Democrats registered significant gains in congressional contests, putting Republican control of Congress under pressure.
The November 3 midterm elections were widely seen as an important test of Trump’s presidency, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats up for election.
According to Trump’s assessment, his presence on the ballot would have changed the outcome for Republicans.
The President’s remarks came after Democrats made significant advances in several closely watched races, challenging Republican control of both chambers of Congress.
Democrats make gains in key congressional races
The election results indicated a strong performance by Democrats in several important contests.
In the Senate, Democrats flipped multiple Republican-held seats, including victories in Texas, South Carolina and Ohio. In the House of Representatives, Democratic candidates also defeated several Republican incumbents, bringing the party closer to securing a majority.
The developments raised the possibility of Democrats taking control of both chambers, although some contests were still being counted.
A change in congressional control would have significant implications for Trump’s remaining presidential term, potentially making it more difficult for his administration to advance its legislative agenda.
Why the 2026 US midterm elections matter
The US midterm elections take place halfway through a president’s four-year term. Unlike presidential elections, voters elect members of Congress, including representatives and a portion of the Senate.
The elections are particularly important because the party controlling Congress has considerable influence over legislation, government spending and oversight of the administration.
For Trump, the 2026 elections were a major political test as Republicans sought to maintain their congressional majorities.
Democratic gains could change the political balance in Washington during the final two years of his presidency.
Trump approval rating near record low at 32% ahead of US midterms
US President Donald Trump’s approval rating remained at 32% ahead of the congressional midterm elections, just above his record-low reading of 31% recorded two weeks earlier, according to a nationwide poll.
US President Donald Trump’s approval rating remained close to its lowest level ahead of Tuesday’s congressional midterm elections, with a nationwide poll indicating that a significant section of American voters viewed their ballots as an opportunity to express opposition to the Republican leader.
According to the latest poll completed on Monday, November 2, only 32% of respondents approved of the job Trump was doing as President. The figure was unchanged from the previous week and just one percentage point above his record-low reading of 31%, recorded two weeks earlier.
The findings come as Republicans seek to retain their majorities in Congress, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives up for grabs and several closely contested races expected to shape the Senate.
Although Trump himself is not on the ballot, his presidency has emerged as a significant factor in the midterm elections.
Democrats lead Republicans in nationwide congressional preference
The poll found that Democrats held an eight-percentage-point advantage over Republicans when respondents were asked which party they preferred to see in charge of Congress.
Around 46% of respondents favoured Democrats, compared with 38% who preferred Republicans.
However, the Democratic lead was narrower than the 11-percentage-point advantage recorded in a similar poll conducted a week earlier.
The so-called generic ballot question provides an overall indication of voters’ preferences between the two parties for control of Congress. However, it does not account for differences between individual states and congressional districts, which ultimately determine the composition of the House and Senate.
Political strategists from both parties believe Democrats have a stronger opportunity to take control of the House of Representatives. Their prospects in the Senate are considered more difficult, with the party facing challenges in states including Alaska and Michigan.
Half of independent voters see their vote as opposition to Trump
The survey also highlighted the extent to which Trump is influencing voters’ decisions despite not contesting the election himself.
Among registered independent voters, 50% said they viewed their congressional vote as a vote against Trump.
In comparison, 13% said their vote was in support of the President, while 33% said Trump was not a factor in their voting decision.
These findings indicate that voters’ views of the President are an important consideration for a section of the electorate heading into the congressional elections.
Rising cost of living emerges as a major election issue
Economic concerns, particularly the rising cost of living, featured prominently in the poll.
Around 78% of respondents said the cost of living would be either a very important or the most important issue in determining their voting decisions.
When asked which party was better equipped to handle the issue, 43% chose Democrats, compared with 32% who favoured Republicans.
The poll also pointed to concerns over rising fuel prices following the US military campaign against Iran, which began in February.
The increase in fuel prices has added to the economic challenges facing the Trump administration ahead of the elections.
Democrats report greater enthusiasm about voting
The survey also found a difference in voting enthusiasm between supporters of the two major political parties.
Around 49% of Democratic voters said they were very enthusiastic about voting in the midterm elections.
Among Republican voters, the corresponding figure stood at 33%.
The difference in enthusiasm is an important factor for both parties as they seek to mobilise their supporters and secure votes across the country.
The latest poll surveyed 1,765 US adults online and had a margin of error of two percentage points.
Two helicopters collide while landing in Nepal, one Indian killed
Two helicopters struck each other while approaching a heliport near Mount Everest in Nepal. One Indian national died, while another person was taken to hospital with injuries.
An Indian national was killed and another person injured after two helicopters collided while attempting to land at a high-altitude heliport in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district, near Mount Everest.
Nepal Police confirmed the incident in a post on X. The heliport is located around 250 km from Kathmandu, the country’s capital. The deceased was identified as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, an Indian national, according to a report by Kathmandu Post.
The accident came into public attention after a video purportedly showing the collision circulated on social media. The footage appears to show the rotor blades of the two helicopters striking each other shortly before landing, following which both aircraft fall onto the icy ground.
However, the authenticity of the video has not been independently verified by report.
Nabin Raja Budhathoki, who is in charge of Solukhumbu district police, told AFP that one foreign national had died at the scene, while another injured person had been taken to hospital.
Helicopters play an important role in Nepal, transporting tourists, mountaineers and supplies across its mountainous terrain. They are also used for emergency evacuations.
Nepal has eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains and receives thousands of foreign climbers and trekkers every year. Flying in these high-altitude areas presents considerable challenges.
At higher elevations, thinner air gives helicopter rotor blades fewer air molecules to push against, reducing the lift they can generate. Engines also receive less oxygen for combustion, which can affect their power output.
A similar high-altitude helicopter accident was reported just days earlier in India’s Uttarakhand. That helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from Badrinath, killing all six people on board, including the pilot and five passengers.
An Indian national was killed and another person injured after two helicopters collided while landing at a high-altitude heliport in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district, near Mount Everest. A purported video of the collision has surfaced on social media, but its authenticity remains unverified.
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