Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called it “disgraceful”; Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said he was “saddened” and “disappointed.” Mostly, however, Republican members of Congress reacted to President Trump’s performance beside Vladimir Putin in Helsinki with silence.

Democrats rushed to condemn Trump’s continued refusal to acknowledge Russian interference in the 2016 election. But it was the reaction on Trump’s side of the political aisle — as even many administration defenders sought cover — that most captured the way the president’s comments Monday stunned many in the capital.