Washington (CNN) The follow-up meeting President Donald Trump proposed holding with his Russian counterpart in the fall will no longer happen this year, the White House said on Wednesday.

"The President believes that the next bilateral meeting with President Putin should take place after the Russia witch hunt is over, so we've agreed that it will be after the first of the year," Trump's national security adviser John Bolton said in a statement.

The second set of talks, which Trump instructed Bolton to organize last week, drew surprise and consternation among some national security officials. The invitation was abruptly announced on Twitter by White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. Moscow had yet to accept before the delay was announced.

"In Helsinki, @POTUS agreed to ongoing working level dialogue between the two security council staffs," Sanders wrote. "President Trump asked @Ambjohnbolton to invite President Putin to Washington in the fall and those discussions are already underway."

In Helsinki, @POTUS agreed to ongoing working level dialogue between the two security council staffs. President Trump asked @Ambjohnbolton to invite President Putin to Washington in the fall and those discussions are already underway. — Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) July 19, 2018

The news caught at least one senior administration off guard. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was being interviewed on stage when the announcement came. He reacted with shock, angering some in the White House. He was later forced to apologize.

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