Former CIA Director John Brennan John Owen BrennanJournalism or partisanship? The media's mistakes of 2016 continue in 2020 Comey on Clinton tweet: 'I regret only being involved in the 2016 election' Ex-CIA Director Brennan questioned for 8 hours in Durham review of Russia probe MORE on Monday slammed President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE for meeting alone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Brennan, a frequent Trump critic, questioned what the president was “hiding” from his own advisers by insisting on meeting one-on-one with Putin at their summit in Helsinki.

“Why did Trump meet 1 on 1 with Putin? What might he be hiding from Bolton, Pompeo, Kelly, & the American public?” Brennan tweeted. “How will Putin use whatever Trump could be hiding to advantage Russia & hurt America? Trump’s total lack of credibility renders spurious whatever explanation he gives.”

Why did Trump meet 1 on 1 with Putin? What might he be hiding from Bolton, Pompeo, Kelly, & the American public? How will Putin use whatever Trump could be hiding to advantage Russia & hurt America? Trump’s total lack of credibility renders spurious whatever explanation he gives. — John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) July 16, 2018

Trump and Putin met one-on-one in Helsinki before moving into an expanded bilateral meeting with advisers. In their first meeting, only translators were present. Trump reportedly did not want to have a note-taker in the room because of a concern that details would leak.

ADVERTISEMENT

Trump and Putin sat down with photographers and reporters before heading into the meeting. Trump said he thinks the U.S. and Russia would “end up having an extraordinary relationship.”

He said before the start of the expanded meeting that the summit was off to a “very, very good start.”

Hours before the start of the meeting, Trump sent a tweet blaming “years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity," as well as the federal investigation into Russia's election meddling, for poor U.S.-Russia relations.

Trump said he would raise the issue of election meddling with Putin, but suggested that he did not think anything would come of it.