Exclusive: How Trump’s skepticism of U.S. intelligence on Russia has left an election threat unchecked wapo.st/2C6auoX
This account of the Trump administration's reaction to Russia's election interference is based on interviews with more than 50 current and former U.S. officials wapo.st/2C6auoX
It’s a situation without parallel in U.S. history: The personal insecurities of the president — and his refusal to accept what many in his administration regard as objective reality — have impaired the government's response to a national security threat wapo.st/2C6auoX
Some advisers, including Jared Kushner and Reince Priebus, held impromptu interventions with Trump and prodded him to accept the findings of the nation's top intelligence chiefs.
Trump bristled at the efforts, saying the conclusions could not be trusted. wapo.st/2C6auoX
Trump bristled at the efforts, saying the conclusions could not be trusted. wapo.st/2C6auoX
On sensitive matters related to Russia, senior advisers have at times developed a policy of avoiding the Oval Office — not giving Trump a chance to erupt or overrule on issues that can be resolved by subordinates wapo.st/2C6auoX
White House officials defend current U.S. policy toward Russia as tougher than the Obama administration's wapo.st/2C6auoX
Those close to Trump explain his aversion to the intelligence findings in more psychological terms. The president sees the Russia inquiry as a conspiracy to undermine his election accomplishment. wapo.st/2C6auoX
Trump’s stance on Russia has left him isolated in his administration as he pursues an elusive breakthrough with Putin. He routinely contradicts his Cabinet and injects confusion into U.S. policy toward Moscow. wapo.st/2C6auoX 
