Trump-Putin 'chat' said to concern US officials
US officials say President Donald Trump's embrace of Russia is sparking concern among members of his national security and foreign policy team. They are said to be concerned about his previously undisclosed dinner conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Group of 20 meetings in Germany last month.
The White House confirms the conversation took place. Officially, Washington and Moscow are downplaying the reports. A spokesman for the National Security Council says it was a casual chat between the two leaders that shouldn't be described as a "meeting." A Russian lawmaker describes it as "a secret conversation that didn't happen."
The chat between the two leaders is said to have involved Russia's translator but not one from the US. US officials say they are concerned about the president's tendency to shun the usual protocols for such meetings. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the meeting on the record.
