WASHINGTON – *Donald Trump returned late Monday from his European tour toface ire in Washington, where US intelligence officials and seniorRepublicans were denouncing the president as ‘shameful’ and ‘disgraceful’after he refused to challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin overinterference in American elections.*

Republican Senator John McCain said Trump’s seeming acceptance of Putin’sdenial was a historical “low point” for the US presidency and the Helsinkisummit between the two leaders a “tragic mistake.”

“Today’s press conference in Helsinki was one of the most disgracefulperformances by an American president in memory. The damage inflicted byPresident Trump´s naivete, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy forautocrats is difficult to calculate,” McCain said in a blistering statement.

“No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant.”

Taking direct issue with the president who appointed him, Director ofNational Intelligence Dan Coats said US spy agencies have been ‘clear’ and‘fact-based’ in their assessment that Moscow interfered in the presidentialrace two years ago — an assessment that Trump refused to endorse inHelsinki.

Coats added that Russia remains behind “ongoing, pervasive efforts toundermine our democracy.”