Senate Votes 98-0 to Reject Putin's Request to Interrogate U.S. Officials in Bipartisan Rebuke of Trump

In a rare moment of unanimous Senate action, lawmakers voted 98-0 to approve a resolution rejecting Vladimir Putin’s proposal to interrogate U.S. officials—a direct and powerful rebuke of President Trump’s consideration of the Russian offer during the Helsinki summit. The vote demonstrated extraordinary bipartisan unity against Trump’s approach to Russia just days after his controversial press conference with Putin.

Putin’s Extraordinary Proposal

During the Helsinki summit on July 16, 2018, Vladimir Putin had proposed a quid pro quo arrangement: Russia would allow U.S. investigators to question the 12 Russian GRU officers indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for election interference—but only if the United States allowed Russian officials to interrogate American citizens and officials Putin accused of crimes.

Putin’s primary targets included:

• Michael McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia
• Bill Browder, financier and human rights advocate behind the Magnitsky Act sanctions
• Other current and former U.S. diplomats, intelligence officials, and civil servants

Trump had called Putin’s proposal an “incredible offer” during the Helsinki press conference, shocking observers by appearing to seriously consider allowing Russia to interrogate American officials.

The Senate Resolution

The resolution, introduced by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, expressed the sense of the Senate that no current or former diplomat, civil servant, law enforcement official, member of the armed forces, or political appointee should be made available to Putin’s government for interrogation.

The 98-0 vote sent an unmistakable message to both Trump and Putin that the Senate would not tolerate compromising American officials to appease Russia. The unanimous support demonstrated the depth of congressional alarm at Trump’s Helsinki performance and his willingness to consider Putin’s demands.

Context: Broader Congressional Response

The vote was part of a broader Senate effort to push back against Trump’s approach to Russia following Helsinki. Senate Resolution 594, submitted by Senators Klobuchar and Graham on July 26, 2018, affirmed the intelligence community’s conclusions about Russian interference and called for accountability. The resolution cited:

• The January 6, 2017 intelligence assessment that “Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016” targeting U.S. elections
• Senate Intelligence Committee findings confirming Russia’s cyber operations and disinformation campaigns
• Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats’ warning that “warning lights are blinking red again” regarding ongoing Russian threats to U.S. democracy

The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act had previously passed 98-2, demonstrating similar bipartisan commitment to confronting Russian aggression.

White House Reversal

The White House announced Trump’s opposition to Putin’s request moments before the Senate vote, attempting to get ahead of the overwhelming rebuke. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders issued a statement saying the proposal to allow Russian officials to interrogate U.S. citizens was “made in sincerity” by Putin but would not be implemented.

However, the fact that Trump had initially praised the proposal as “incredible” and that the White House took days to reject it underscored the disconnect between Trump’s approach to Russia and bipartisan congressional consensus.

Significance

The 98-0 vote represented one of the most unified congressional rebukes of Trump’s foreign policy during his presidency. The unanimity was particularly striking given the deep partisan divisions on most issues related to Trump and Russia investigations.

The resolution affirmed fundamental American principles:

• U.S. officials should not be subjected to politically motivated interrogations by hostile foreign powers
• The United States would not compromise its citizens to appease authoritarian leaders
• Congressional oversight of presidential foreign policy remains essential

The vote demonstrated that even in an era of extreme partisanship, some presidential actions were so alarming that they generated complete bipartisan opposition. It served as a powerful check on Trump’s willingness to accommodate Putin’s demands and sent a message to allies and adversaries alike that Congress would defend American officials and interests.

The event also highlighted the ongoing tension between Trump’s approach to Russia—characterized by deference to Putin—and the unified stance of the U.S. intelligence community, military, diplomatic corps, and both parties in Congress that Russia posed a serious and continuing threat to American democracy.