Senate Democrats are pressing President Donald Trump to reveal what he talked about in his one-on-one meeting with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, saying Americans "have a right to know."
In a letter to the president Tuesday, six Democrats outlined the questions they have for him about the meeting — and the answers are needed "to adequately protect America's interests."
"Just today the Russian Ministry of Defense publicly stated that it is prepared to start implementing an agreement you apparently struck in Helsinki with President Putin, an agreement that neither Congress nor the American people have been informed about," the lawmakers wrote.
"We cannot afford to be blindsided or outmaneuvered," they added.
The letter was first reported by The Hill.
Among the 13 questions for Trump include did he "advocate for the removal" to the United States 12 Russian intelligence officers who were indicted last Friday, and whether he made "any commitments regarding the future of the U.S. military presence in Syria."
"What if anything, did you commit to?" they asked.
The signers were Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., as well as Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Mark Warner D-Va., Jack ReedD-R.I., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio — the top Democrats on the Foreign Relations, Intelligence, Armed Services, and Banking Committees, respectively.
"Mr. President, the answers to these questions are of critical importance to U.S. national security. Answering them in full, without hesitation, will demonstrate that you do still hold America's interests first," they wrote.
The Senators complained Trump's "cursory description" of the meeting did not answer their concerns, writing "we as a nation must now wonder exactly what you discussed and may have promised to President Putin."
The Hill reported the Senate is debating passage of new sanctions legislation targeting Russia in the wake of the Helsinki summit and the indictment of Russian intel agents.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.