By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Don't Edit

President Donald Trump has had more than his share of bad weeks, but it's hard to imagine any week worse than this one.

He was roundly criticized by leaders of both political parties for his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where he appeared to take his side against the findings of U.S. intelligence agencies and the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee.

"I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial," Trump said at the press conference following their meeting.

Trump tried to walk back those remarks the following day, but not completely: "I accept our intelligence community's conclusion that Russia's meddling in the 2016 election took place. Could be other people also; there's a lot of people out there."

Don't Edit

President Donald Trump, left, listens as Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, speaks during a news conference in Helsinki, Finland. (Chris Ratcliffe | Bloomberg)

Even if this was Trump's worst week, it may not be for long, said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

"The worst week of Trump's presidency has been decided and nullified so many times already," Murray sald. "Is this going to lead to a steady decline in his approval rating? We have not seen any evidence this is going to be the one time that finally moves the needle."

This is why this may have been Trump's worst week in the White House, at least for now:

Don't Edit

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., receives the Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in October 2017. (AP Photo | Matt Rourke)

'One of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory'

And that's a comment from a fellow Republican, U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the party's 2008 presidential nominee.

Don't Edit

Today’s press conference in #Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.



My full statement on the #HelsinkiSummit: https://t.co/lApjctZyZl — John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) July 16, 2018

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats speaks at an October 2017 Heritage Foundation event in Washington. (AP Photo | Kevin Wolf)

The U.S. intelligence chief repudiated his boss

After Trump appeared to side with Putin and questioned whether Russia intervened in the 2016 presidential campaign, the director of national intelligence quickly set him straight.

"We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy, and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of our national security," Director Dan Coats said in a statement.

Don't Edit

Americans say the criticism was deserved

The CBS News poll of 1,007 U.S. adults was conducted July 17-18 and had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

Don't Edit

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., at a hearing on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo | Susan Walsh)

The leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee were united in opposition

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and ranking member Robert Menendez, D-N.J., both came out in opposition to Trump's comments.

Don't Edit

As I said yesterday, the Helsinki press conference was saddening and disappointing, and I am glad people on both sides of the aisle condemned it strongly. — Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) July 17, 2018

Retweet if you think it's despicable for an American President to trust Vladimir Putin over U.S. intelligence. pic.twitter.com/PyafQOCBAH — Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) July 16, 2018

Don't Edit

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, joined from left by U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Md., Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., criticizes President Donald Trump and his Helsinki meetingt with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP Photo | J. Scott Applewhite)

What happened behind closed doors?

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York was one of many who raised concerns about what Trump and Putin talked in private, with only their translators present.

"It is utterly amazing, utterly amazing, that no one knows what was said," Schumer said. "This is a democracy. If our president makes agreements with one of our leading, if not our leading adversary, his cabinet has to know about it and so do the American people."

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., left, and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., talk to reporters after making speeches on the Senate floor calling for a resolution to back the U.S. intelligence community findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. (AP Photo | J. Scott Applewhite)

Trump called it a witch hunt. Senators sought to praise the probe.

U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Chris Coons, D-Del., introduced a bipartisan resolution commending the U.S. Justice Department investigation into possible collusion between Russian officials and the Trump campaign, and declaring that the Senate supported the conclusion of U.S. intelligence agencies that Moscow did interfere in the 2016 election on behalf of the Republican nominee.

"What we saw earlier this week in Helsinki was a truly Orwellian moment," Flake said on the Senate floor. "What we saw this week in Helsinki is what happens when you wage war on objective reality for two solid years, calling real things 'fake' and fake things real, as if conditioning others to embrace this same confusion."

"Ultimately, you fail to summon reality in the face of a despot and in defense of your country."

The resolution was blocked by Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Don't Edit

President Donald Trump, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland. (AP Photo | Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Trump supposedly made deals with the Russians. What are they?

Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., said he wants to hear from the U.S. interpreter who was at the Trump-Putin meeting, and asked the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to bring Marina Gross in to testify.

"Given this history, the American people deserve to know if Trump used his position or this meeting with Putin to continue to pursue his own financial interests," Pascrell said. "We need public testimony by the only American present at this meeting to ensure Trump did not further undermine our intelligence or law enforcement communities."

The outrage was bipartisan.

Don't Edit

The Russian ambassador says that "important verbal agreements" were reached at the Helsinki summit. What are those commitments, Mr. President? Congress needs to know. — Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) July 19, 2018

Don't Edit

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of their press conference on Monday. (AP Photo | Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Trump insisted the meeting with Putin was a success

Don't Edit

The Summit with Russia was a great success, except with the real enemy of the people, the Fake News Media. I look forward to our second meeting so that we can start implementing some of the many things discussed, including stopping terrorism, security for Israel, nuclear........ — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2018

....proliferation, cyber attacks, trade, Ukraine, Middle East peace, North Korea and more. There are many answers, some easy and some hard, to these problems...but they can ALL be solved! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2018

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders calls on reporters during a news conference Thursday. (Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images)

Another misstatement?

Coats told the Hudson Institute last week that "the system is blinking red" in terms of Russia and other adversaries launching online attacks against the U.S. He compared it to the warnings before 9/11.

"It was in the months prior to September 2001 when, according to then-CIA Director George Tenet, the system is blinking red," Coats said. "And here we are nearly two decades later, and I'm here to say, the warning lights are blinking red again."

When Trump

was asked

before a cabinet meting Wednesday whether Russia still was targeting the U.S., however, he answered, "No."

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said later that day that the "no" referred to Trump simply refusing to respond to the assembled reporters.

Trump "was saying 'no' to answering questions," Sanders said. "The president and his administration are working very hard to make sure that Russia is unable to meddle in our elections as they have done in the past and as we have stated."

Don't Edit

Trump-Putin redux

Sanders announced Thursday that Putin had been invited to Washington.

Don't Edit

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

Don't Edit

Coats didn't know about the invitation until he was told about it while on stage Thursday at the Aspen Security Forum.

“Say that again,” Coats said.

“OK," he sighed. "That’s going to be special.”

Don't Edit

More on Trump and Russia

Menendez moves to toughen Russia sanctions after blasting Trump's 'willful paralysis' to Putin

Trump meets Putin, fails to rebuke the Russian strongman ... and the Internet goes crazy

Booker says Trump chose a Supreme Court justice who would protect him from Russia probe

Trump's 'mastery' of diplomacy was on display with Putin, says disowned N.J. GOP candidate

Booker asks how Trump can pick Supreme Court justice while Russia probe continues

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.