CIA director was on ‘semi-routine’ mission in Russia, says Trump

Trump implied that the intelligence chief was in the Russian capital to discuss Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Trump says Ratcliffe's trip was "sort of semi-routine." An expert on Russia's security services says it does not "happen every year."

President denies visit was to gain support for Iran sanctions or due to fears that Putin plans to ‘test Nato resolve’ US politics live – latest updates Donald Trump has downplayed a visit to Moscow by the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, as “semi-routine” after he turned up in the Russian capital unannounced, triggering

U.S. President Donald Trump has commented for the first time on CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s August 25 trip to Moscow. “He’s there on … you know, very sort of semi-routine [business],” Trump said in an interview with radio host Glenn Beck. “I hate to disappoint people. We would like to see the war in Ukraine end.”

President Trump referred to CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s trip to Russia this week as “semi-routine” after the Kremlin confirmed Ratcliffe was in the country to meet intelligence officials.  “I hate to disappoint people,” Trump told conservative talks show host Glenn Beck on Wednesday.  “John Ratcliffe is a fantastic g

John Ratcliffe travelled to the Russian capital on Tuesday in a rare and unannounced visit.

US President Donald Trump has said that CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow was "semi-routine", while implying that the intelligence chief was in the Russian capital to discuss the Ukraine war.