Thread by @atrupar

Pompeo bends over backward to give Trump credit for nixing the idea of allowing Americans to be interrogated by the Kremlin, an idea that Trump praised as a good one just days earlier 🤔

CARDIN criticizes POMPEO for trying to take credit for how "tough on Russia" the administration has purportedly been, when in fact their hand was forced by Congress

.@timkaine grills Pompeo on fact that details of Trump's meeting with Putin have been reported in the Russian press, while the administration remains silent about what if any agreements were reached

OOF -- Tim Kaine reads a string of headlines of different times in which the Trump administration has blindsided various government agencies with abrupt policy changes.

POMPEO blames the Obama administration for human rights abuses in North Korea

Pompeo seems to slip up, refers to the Trump administration as a "regime"

.@RandPaul (R-Moscow) is out here trying to own the libs by defending Trump's meeting with Putin.

.@SenatorTomUdall asks Pompeo if he thinks the American people deserve to see Trump's tax returns so they know he's not compromised by Russia. In a condescending tone, Pompeo indicates he does not.

Pompeo dismissively indicates he does not think Trump's foreign business dealings, including his attempt in 2015 to build a Trump Tower Moscow, are foreign policy concerns.

Wow -- Pompeo does not provide a straightforward answer to question of whether Trump & Putin discussed the Mueller investigation

UDALL: Were you tasked with anything in that respect?

POMPEO: When I'm tasked about something, this committee will know you.

Pompeo refuses to answer question about whether North Korea continues to develop a nuclear weapons program, despite Kim's handshake agreement with Trump

After Corker raises a number of concerns about Trump's statements, Pompeo spends a couple minutes kissing up to the president and trying to give him credit for everything.

Pompeo ducks @SenJeffMerkley's questions about Trump's comments blaming "US foolishness" for poor relations with Russia, and prematurely stating that there's no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea

.@ChrisMurphyCT: The president most recently said the Russia investigation is a "hoax." Now you're telling us he accepts the intel community's conclusion. Which statement should we believe?

POMPEO: "I'll leave it to you. You can draw whatever inferences you want to."

Pompeo advises Sen. Murphy to disregard the president's statements and instead pay attention to the president's policies.

Then changes topic to bashing Obama's Russia policy.

After @ChrisCoons ticks through all of Trump's contradictory statements on Russia, Pompeo claims, "I think the president is very clear about that." #WarIsPeace

.@CoryBooker tries and fails to form his endless monologue about Russia into a question for Pompeo

WOW -- very heated interaction between @SenatorMenendez and Pompeo after Menendez grills Pompeo about whether Trump's statements actually reflect government policy