Updated at 10:20 p.m. Revised to include Ted Cruz comment.

WASHINGTON — Texas lawmakers in both parties expressed shock and dismay at President Donald Trump's eagerness to brush aside allegations of Russian meddling in U.S. elections and other misdeeds at his summit Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Amid the outcry, reviews from Democrats were universally scathing. Few Republicans from Texas were rallying to Trump's defense.

"I don't think we should be taking a former KGB colonel's word for what their intelligence apparatus is doing or not doing. I believe our intelligence community," Sen. John Cornyn told CNN after Trump — sharing a stage with the Russian strongman — asserted that he's not sure whether to believe American spy agencies or Russia regarding allegations of cyberattacks aimed at tilting the 2016 presidential election in his direction.

Ahead of the summit, Cornyn urged Trump to remain "clear-eyed" about Putin, expressing guarded concern that the president might fail to recognize his Russian counterpart as a thug.

On Friday, special counsel Robert Mueller indicted a dozen Russian military intelligence officers on charges that Cornyn called "spot-on."

John Brennan, a former CIA director, deemed Trump's performance at the summit so egregious as to support charges of impeachment, tweeting that it "rises to & exceeds the threshold of `high crimes & misdemeanors'" — the constitutional justification for removal from office. "It was nothing short of treasonous... He is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???"

Sen. John McCain, the 2008 GOP presidential nominee and Trump foil, called it "one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory." Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, a Trump ally whose wife serves as Trump's ambassador to the Vatican, called Trump's stance "the most serious mistake of his presidency."

Most Texas Republicans in Congress laid low on Monday afternoon, saying nothing about the commander in chief's approach in Helsinki.

One came close to echoing the sentiments of Brennan and McCain, though: Rep. Will Hurd, a San Antonio Republican who served as an undercover CIA officer. He leveled one of the toughest critiques, saying that Trump was "getting played" by Putin and later, that their joint appearance amounted to a "disinformation campaign."

"I've seen Russian intelligence manipulate many people over my professional career and I never would have thought that the US President would become one of the ones getting played by old KGB hands," he tweeted. "There is nothing about agreeing with a thug like Putin that puts America First."

And he added: "To all our allies: there are still many of us in Congress that know Russia is not just an adversary to the United States but to freedom loving people everywhere."

I've seen Russian intelligence manipulate many people over my professional career and I never would have thought that the US President would become one of the ones getting played by old KGB hands. — Rep. Will Hurd (@HurdOnTheHill) July 16, 2018

As a former CIA officer and a Congressman on the House Intelligence Committee, I can affirmatively say there is nothing about agreeing with a thug like Putin that puts America First. — Rep. Will Hurd (@HurdOnTheHill) July 16, 2018

Sen. Ted Cruz routinely accused President Barack Obama of embarking on a "worldwide apology tour." Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Tyler Republican, devoted an entire floor speech in 2012 to an indictment of Obama's habit of apologizing to foreign adversaries.

Neither Republican came to Trump's defense, nor joined the chorus of condemnation. Cruz issued no statement and didn't criticize Trump, but told a CNN reporter at the Capitol Monday night that "it's a mistake to be apologizing for Vladimir Putin."

Cruz's challenger in the fall, Rep. Beto O'Rourke, was more direct: "This president has just turned his back on our country, on our democracy, on accountability and on justice for what happened in 2016 and what we face in terms of securing our elections in 2018."

Cruz: “I think we need to be acting vigorously to prevent Russian aggression. And I think it's a mistake to be apologizing for Vladimir Putin.”



I asked if he believed the president apologized to Putin.

Cruz: “You have my statement.” — Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 16, 2018

In Austin, Texas House Speaker Joe Straus added a Republican voice of disapproval, taking Trump to task for leaving the United States "more vulnerable.... The President's refusal to condemn Russia's attack on our democracy gravely undermines our country."

The President’s refusal to condemn Russia’s attack on our democracy gravely undermines our country & principles, & his posture toward Putin has unfortunately left us more vulnerable. This is about American security & the very foundation of our democracy, which must be protected. — Joe Straus (@SpeakerStraus) July 16, 2018

In Helsinki, Trump downplayed U.S. intelligence assessments and the Justice Department's findings that led to last week's indictments of Russian spies, whose cyber assault would almost certainly have required Putin's direct approval.

"My people came to me," Trump said with Putin at his side. "Dan Coats [director of national intelligence] came to me and some others, they said they think it's Russia. I have President Putin; he just said it's not Russia.... I don't see any reason why it would be."

Trump defended his comments as Air Force One whisked him home from Finland.

As I said today and many times before, “I have GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people.” However, I also recognize that in order to build a brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past – as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along! #HELSINKI2018 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2018

House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul of Austin, whom Trump had eyed for a Cabinet post, refrained from direct criticism. During the 2016 election he warned Trump about meddling, only to have that advice ignored.

"We must not forget that last year Congress passed legislation to sanction Russia for its interference in our election, continued malicious cyberattacks, and its intervention in Ukraine," McCaul said in a statement. "As we speak, our election infrastructure and democratic society are under attack. It is critical that we ensure our systems are protected and we send a clear message to Putin that there are consequences for these illegal actions."

Rep. Bill Flores, a Waco Republican who formerly led a large bloc of House conservatives, chided Trump. U.S. intelligence agencies "have proven that Russia did in fact meddle in our 2016 elections," he said, and "the president should understand that Russia cannot be trusted and that it must be held accountable for its attempted election disruptions against our nation and against our allies."

Rep. Ted Poe of Humble, who is retiring, said Monday night that Trump "should have been more forceful" with Putin.

That was mild compared to some Republicans, like Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, who wrote on Twitter: "This is shameful."

I never thought I would see the day when our American President would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression. This is shameful. — Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) July 16, 2018

Contenders criticize Trump

Potential 2020 presidential contenders blasted Trump.

"President Trump's decision to side with Putin over American intelligence agencies is disgraceful and detrimental to our democratic principles," the GOP's 2012 nominee, Mitt Romney, now a Senate candidate in Utah, said in a statement.

My statement on today's summit in Helsinki. pic.twitter.com/WSxFGDKMau — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) July 16, 2018

Joe Biden, the last Democratic vice president, painted Trump as hapless and dangerous.

"Flattering dictators will not advance American interests. It makes us less safe," he wrote. "Today's press conference was beneath the dignity of the Office of the President."

Fresh distrust from Dems

For Democrats, Trump's display of softness toward Russia provided fresh reason for mistrust.

Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio called Trump's performance "disgraceful" and an "an act of treachery against the American people. He promoted Russia and Vladimir Putin over our nation, and no President has ever looked weaker, more apologetic, and less American on the world stage."

Treason is one of the few federal crimes that carries a death penalty. For a president, it's a trigger for impeachment.

Rep. Al Green of Houston, an early and ardent advocate of impeachment, simply retweeted Brennan's "high crimes & misdemeanors" comment with the hashtag: #ImpeachmentIsNotDead.

"President Donald Trump’s words and actions today at the #HelsinkiSummit amount to an act of treachery against the American people." https://t.co/30OMstNAPq #TrumpPutinSummit pic.twitter.com/IMliS2zT5S — Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) July 16, 2018

Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth asserted that "Trump weakens our democracy for a congratulatory handshake and an ego stroke from Putin."

Last week he called on Trump to push back against meddling, warning that "Russia needs to know they can't interfere in U.S. elections without consequences. And it's your job, @realdonaldtrump, to make this clear."

On Monday, he accused Trump of "total capitulation."

"President Trump's display in Helsinki was a total capitulation to Putin," Veasey said. "The President's failure to confront an adversary, to protect and preserve our lasting democratic institutions, shows he is gravely unfit to be our Commander in Chief."

Trump weakens our democracy for a congratulatory handshake and an ego stroke from Putin. #Helsinki2018 pic.twitter.com/UvGm0xgK2O — Rep. Marc Veasey (@RepVeasey) July 16, 2018

Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo called it "troubling that our president sees an equivalency between the unbiased and qualified expertise of our intelligence community and the personal word of Russian President Putin."

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston, using the hashtag #TrumpRussiaCollusion, called it "unbelievable" and "shameful" to see a U.S. president so readily giving in to a Russian autocrat.

Explosive; Unbelievable; Shameful. I am speechless at the spectacle we just viewed in #Helsinki. It was nothing more than the @potus agreeing hand-in-glove with the Russian autocrat. Where is our President in defense of our nation?!.... God saves America.#TrumpRussiaCollusion — Sheila Jackson Lee (@JacksonLeeTX18) July 16, 2018

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, raised the specter that if Trump can be "totally impotent" standing before the world's media with Putin, the "unknown appeasement in private" may be far worse.

He also lamented political cowardice among Republicans, noting with few exceptions, the only ones who speak out against Trump are not seeking re-election.

"In all of Trump's tweets, attacks, and insults, the one person he routinely praises is a ruthless dictator: Vladimir Putin, who poisons his enemies, invades Ukraine, facilitates war crimes in Syria, and disrupts democracies," Doggett said. "Perhaps more shocking than Trump's weakness is the deafening silence of his Republican enablers in Congress. A retirement announcement should not be a prerequisite for Republicans to stand up to Trump and his autocratic buddies."

Washington correspondents Camille Caldera and Rachel Cohrs contributed to this report.