michael mcfaul.y would like the united states to make mcfaul available to russia for questioning. being a diplomat in a country that's an adversary of the united states can make the host country really mad at you, right? sure. diplomacy is like that. diplomacy is hard. we protect our diplomats as a matter of course. you might expect the u.s. government would just instantly tell russia that when they made this demand about ambassador michael mcfaul. no, today, the trump white house said they're considering it. the white house secretary telling reporters the president would meet with his team and will let you know when we have an announcement on that. that went off like a rocket today. here's a taste from democratic congressman eric swalwell saying online, take this to the bank, donald trump, you turn over ambassador mack fall to putin, you can count on me and millions of others to swiftly make you an ex-president. we know how at least one member of congress feels about this. what does ambassador mcfau

trust tonight, michael mcfaul it, chuck rosenburg, fbi chief of staff. matt axelrod.emen, thank you all for what turned out to be kind of an exciting breaking news night here. it's really a pleasure and honor to breaking news night here. it was really a pleasure and an honor to have you all here. >> thank you, rachel. >> now it's time for "the last word" with lawrence o'donnell. good evening, lawrence. >> good evening, rachel. good thing you had a bunch of lawyers around for the release of the cohen -- cohen tape number 1. there's going to be many more. we're going to play it in its entirety for people to decide what it is they're hearing here. but let me begin by telling you who's not going to be on our show tonight. rudy giuliani declined to come on and explain what his client donald trump is actually saying on that audio that we're going to play in a moment. but michael avenatti is here and he has a novel take on what's going on with these tapes. adam schiff was here already to talk about what rudy giuliani's been saying abt

. >> and michael mcfaul, the ambassador that's always on our air. >> browder, they want to literally kill him if they could, like they did his partner, sergei magnitsky. so these are killers, they're thugs, and the president has been licking their boots. >> all right, guys, i'm going to hold it here for now. kristen welker, thank you very much. nick, elise and jonathan, stay with us. >>> ahead, the president's performance in helsinki is raising accusations of treason from some leading political voices. one of them, former cia director john brennan. he joins me next. [music playing] across the country, we walk. carrying flowers that signify why we want to end alzheimer's disease. but what if, one day, there was a white flower for alzheimer's first survivor? what if there were millions of them? join us for the alzheimer's association walk to end alzheimer's. register today at alz.org/walk. and now for the rings. (♪) i'm a four-year-old ring bearer with a bad habit of swallowing stuff. still won't eat my broccoli, though. and if you don't have the right overage, you could be paying for

ambassador to russia michael mcfaul. she says she will get back to us.n helsinki, we heard putin suggest they would indict the russians if russia was allowed to question americans and president trump called it an interesting idea and said it wants to question one mike mcfaul and several americans as part of the investigation into bill broader for what the russians say are financial crimes. broader will remind you an out spoken critic to pass the act which imposed sanctions on russia for human rights violations. well today the state department spokesperson, heather was asked about all of it. >> i can't answer on behalf of the white house but the overall assertions that have come out because of the government are absurd. the pafact they1 11 american citizens and the assertions they are making we do not stand by those atergss that the pushen government makes. >> here to talk about it tonight is michael mcfaul, the author of the new book "happens to be germane" from cold war to hot piece the american ambassador and jonathan lamarre is back with us. you may h

americans including the former ambassador, our friend michael mcfaul. also ahead, should donald trump's translator from his putin one on one, expect a subpoena? the only witness to the president's advisor free meeting is asked to testify before congress about that incounter. the latest about a russian spy. what we are learning about her ties to russian intelligence service. stay with us. we do whatever it takes to fight cancer. these are the specialists we're proud to call our own. experts from all over the world, working closely together to deliver truly personalized cancer care. expert medicine works here. learn more at cancercenter.com you may be learning about, medicare and supplemental insurance. medicare is great, but it doesn't cover everything ...only about 80% of your part b medicare costs. a medicare supplement insurance plan may help cover some of the rest. learn how an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company might be the right choice for you. a free decision guide is a great place to start. call

the second individual is our well-known former ambassador to russia, michael mcfaul, also the authorf a new book on putin's government that is very critical. he now is considered a person of interest in the browder investigation. wolf, we have sound from both men reacting to this idea that they could be actually called back to russia to answer to investigators in putin's government. let's give that a listen. >> hand me over to putin is basically to hand me over to my death, and i've been fighting for human rights. i've been fighting for justice for my murdered lawyer, and to hand over a human rights campaigner to a murderer to his death would be the most insane thing that this president could do. >> this is yet another tactic to intimidate me like he has done with other people, and i wish -- i just hope my own president, my commander in chief would understand it for what it is and push back, both in public and in private. >> obviously both men clearly are not interested in talking to russian investigators and with good reason. >> you know, the white house, john, and the state departm

pretty powerful signal you're not serious about wanting him to change his behavior. >> ambassador michael mcfaulo's been in the eye of the hurricane often not by choice, thank you for being on tonight. >>> michael cohen saying the tape may be tampered with, and what's rudy trying to do? a break in just 30 seconds. >>> the other top story tonight apart from the trump tower drama, his lawyer unleashing on michael cohen accusing him of being a pathological liar, a scoundrel and liar. >> the man is a pathological manipulator, liar. there are innumerable recordings and other people having nothing to do with the trump organization which will give you an idea what a scoundrel he was. if you tape record your client and lie to your client about it you have no character. >> a new thing, evidence tampering. >> more than likely, he came back home, erased the portion he wanted erased and tried to tape record a conversation, it appears, with don junior and might have gotten that, too, and erased that. >> you've spoken to don jr. what is the part that was erased? >> i have no idea. >> does donald trump remembe

americans including the former ambassador, michael mcfaul. turning over a u.s. diplomat to putin, it seems absurd, as his own state department said, and completely outrageous. >> it is that. i could not get over -- i'm still trying to get my head around what i witnessed in helsinki. and now to hear this, that he would even consider it, and that sarah sanders didn't reject it out of hand, is crazy. i've never heard of such a thing. to turn over any u.s. citizen, particularly a former ambassador, for the russians to interrogate him, you've got to be kidding. >> so i mentioned that the state department said that it was, you know, absolutely absurd. that's a quote from them. but i want to read to you from the former ambassador mcfaul, "i hope the white house corrects the record and denounces in categorical terms this request from putin. not doing so creates moral equivalency between a legitimate indictment of russian intelligence officers and a crazy, completely fabricated story invented by putin." what's your reaction, director? >> i completely agree with ambassado

ambassador michael mcfaul whom vladimir putin has seen as an enemy for years. for all the same reasons that putin hated hillary clinton with a passion, he hated mcfaul every day and twice on sundays. but he delivered a pretty substantial list of a bunch of americans whom they wanted trump to produce and hand over to putin alongside michael mcfaul. a whole bunch of merge citizens who are associated with other things russia doesn't like like sanctions against russia. but also these two guys. these two guys were both on the list. and both of these guys, so you know, are associated with the russia scandal. and specifically, they are associated with the christopher steele dossier of intelligence memorandum bows the trump campaign's alleged links to russia in its campaign to influence the election. david kramer is on the left. he was sent by john mccain right after the election to go collect a copy of the steele dossier. kramer went and got it. took to it mccain who then took a one-on-one meeg with james comey. and the guy on the right, jonathan winer, september of 20

now the last sell sell includes a michael mcfaul who is a former u.s. ambassador to moscow i why do you think he is on that list. i'm not really not sure to be honest with you but i think look if let me put you could make this happen if lattimer putin could could actually get this. to proceed and and have it happen and take place i mean that would be an unbelievable coup and you know donald trump stood there and called it an unbelievably you know great idea and great offer however i'm sure the first thing that people said to him after the press conference was and i am really surprised the media didn't pick up on this more they were so you know the media is out of their minds totally in this country so they were concerned they wanted to slap handcuffs on and lattimer putin and arrest him for something they're just nuts but i think the worst thing donald trump said was not what he said would do should could have not and could have not could have what the worst thing he said was that's a great idea that. mr putin had to to trade in effect wanted people and

let me be clear how much moscow and putin specifically loathe bill browder and loathe michael mcfaul because of their work together, the magnet sitsky act passed. >> i was very involved in the passage of that act. it's worse than that. we tend to assume when we have these discussions that we're dealing with an ordinary other country. we're not, this is russia. there's no due process and rule of law. don't forget, this is a one way deal. our former ambassador -- >> what would happen to them if this happened and if the president could extend his executive power and legal authority that far? what do you think would happen to bill browder and michael mcfall? >> it won't happen. there's also a due process procedure in the united states that as any american citizen had to go through due process, it won't happen. >> heather nauert says it's absurd and sarah sanders says we'll get back to you, we're thinking about it. >> it shows that president trump is on some other planet. he's not part of the ordinary state department foreign service establishment by making such statements. there's so man

ambassador to russia michael mcfaul says he is worried about being arrested by interpol and sent to russias overseas after vladimir putin suggested what sounded like a swap of mcfaul and 11 other americans including former officials for the 12 russian intelligence officials who had just been indicted by robert mueller. at that joint news conference in helsinki, president trump called it an incredible offer. the white house leader indicated it was considering it seriously despite state department objections. it later rejected it, three or four days later. still, in a statement praising putin for his, quote, sincere offer. what's going on here? joining us, former ambassador michael mcfaul, and the author of the new book "from cold war to hot peace." could not be more aptly named. >> it was a coincidence. >> we've known each other a long time. to see you being targeted this way, that was not a casual reference by vladimir putin, the former kgb guy. >> no. >> it was very clear that this president, not well-briefed, not well-prepared for the one on one, we can talk about whether that should eve

still to come on the newshour: views on the russia controversy from former ambassador michael mcfauland former acting c.i.a. director john mclaughlin. israel's controversial law declaring it the homeland ofhe jewish people. the plan to reunite there ining separated migrant families, and much more. >> woodruff: we return now to what p "incredible offer" on monday n en president putin offered to let the u.s. quest russians indicted for interfering in the 2016 election, in exchange for a few u.s. officials, being inrrogated by moscow. after first saying they were considering this, the white house today said they reject t idea. just one of a swirl of events around president tru and russia in the past few days. for reaction and anasis, i'm joined by former ambassador michael mcfaul, who served as envoy to moscow from 2012 to 2014. he was named as one of the american officials wanted by russia in that potential exchange. he is currently at stanford university. and john mclaughlin served as acting director of the c.i.a. during the george w. bush administration, and as the agency's deputy di

he knows who michael mcfaul is and he hears appointee and he has to know that michael mcfaul is a critic of his. when president putin raised this idea, i'm sure trump's mind doesn't go to the legalities and what the process would be and he thinks, i see this guy on tv and he criticizes me all the time. not such a bad idea. >> we'll speak live with ambassador michael mcfaul in just a little bit about that request. >>> russian interference aside, another big issue playing out on capitol hill. president trump's pick for the supreme court. democrats think they just found a big problem with the nomination of brett kavanagh. so, how's it going? well... we had a vacation early in our marriage that kinda put us in a hole. go someplace exotic? yeah, bermuda. a hospital in bermuda. a hospital in bermuda. what? what happened? i got a little over-confident on a moped. even with insurance, we had to dip into our 401(k) so it set us back a little bit. sometimes you don't have a choice. but it doesn't mean you can't get back on track. great. yeah, great. i'd like to go back to bermuda. i hear it's nice

ambassador to russia michael mcfaul and bill brouder. in exchange, the kremlin would provide assistance in the probe of russia yaes electi's electio interferen interference. >> vladimir putin raised that offer. brouder and mcfaul responded last night. >> the whole thing is as corrupt as you could be. the fact that the people who passed the act and people investigating money laundering are targeting to be interviewed. >> vladimir putin has been after me for a long time. harassing me in ways no other has experienced. i'm an american citizen. i worked for the government for five years. it would be easy to bat it back. >> white house is considering the proposal and the state department spokeswoman offered a forceful rejection calling the russian assertion be absolutely absurd. >>> the president denying the intend behind the word -- intent behind the words. the president appeared to say no when he was asked twice if russia was targeting the u.s. listen for yourself of president trump and followed by the white house reinterpretation. >> thank

ambassador to russia michael mcfaul.ah huckabee sanders put out a statement yesterday saying, it is a proposal that was made in sincerity by president putin, but president trump disagrees with it. hopefully president putin will have the 12 identified russians come to the united states to prove their innocence or guilt. initially president trump called the offer, quote, incredible. sanders said the white house was considering the proposal. >> we would expect that the americans would reciprocate and they would question officials, including the officers of law enforcement and intelligence service of the united states whom we believe are -- who have something to do with illegal actions on the territory of russia. >> what he did is an incredible offer. he offered to have the people working on the case come and work with their investigators with respect to the 12 people. i think that's an incredible offer. >> the president's going to meet with his team and we'll let you know when we have an announcement on that. >> reporter: f

ambassador to russia michael mcfaul it wasn't until thursday four days after putin raised the proposal with trump the president weighed in through his press secretary who stated president trump disagrees with it the resolutions agreed to on thursday the u.s. senate passed a unanimous resolution to protect any diplomat from extradition meantime further proof trump is acting unilaterally his top intelligence chief caught by surprise by a white house invitation lattimer putin is coming to the white house in the fall. see what we can i. know you are right imprudent coming here yeah. ok matt i think. the colts reaction is further proof the white house is still reeling from donald trump's public relations disaster in finland and is working to repair the damage caused by trump at the helsinki summit can really help at al-jazeera the white house their opinion has expressed concern about a new israeli law that defines the country as the nation state of the jewish people it makes hebrew the sole official language and downgrades arabic to having special status palestinians describe the law as rac

specifically, obama's ambassador to moscow, michael mcfaul, a nemesis of the kremlin because of his criticismsf russia's human rights record. that idea is ridiculous... so, they're thinking about it. >> russian authorities yesterday named several americans whom they want to question, including former ambassador to russia michael mcfaul. does the president support that idea? is he open to having u.s. officials questioned by russia? >> the president will meet with his team and we will let you know when we have an announcement on that. >> stephen: of course, the state department, what's th word, went ape ( bleep ) -- is that the word? is that the word? it's two words. >> jon: put them together. one current u.s. diplomat said, "the president has first and foremost his interests at the top of his mind, as opposed to the government's. that's very clear, between (bleep) on our nato allies and kissing putin's ass. either he's compromised by putin or he's a pussy, in which case he should grab himself. ( cheers and applause ) >> jon: ow, ow, ow! whoo! whoo! >> stephen: and that's from a diplomat -- ( la

michael mcfaul and bill browder. would provide assistance in the probe of the election interference. >> putin raised the idea of the helsinki summit and president trump called it an incredible offer. browder and mcfaul responded last night. >> vladimir putin raised that offer. >> the whole thing is as corrupt as you could be. the fact that the people who passed the act and people investigating money laundering are targeting to be interviewed. >> vladimir putin has been after me for a long time. harassing me in ways no other has experienced. i hope my commander in chief would push back in public and private. >> the white house is considering the proposal and the state department spokeswoman offered a forceful rejection calling the russian assertion absolutely absurd. >> joining us this morning is julian zelizer. well wicome back. let's talk about the proposal from vladimir putin to inter gre -- interrogate americans. i cannot believe this is being discussed. since when does the president not protect u.s. diplomats? he

. >> one of the people, former ambassador to russia michael mcfaul. >> my government i hope will step up and categorically swat this back. i mean my president of the united states of america. >> reporter: as well as democrats and republicans. >> there is no rule of law in russia, there's the rule of putin. >> that the president would entertain the idea of subjecting our diplomats to putin's thuggery is an abuse of power. >> reporter: amid that criticism, white house is changing course. sanders saying it was made in sincerity by president putin but president -- in rare show of solidarity. >>> hours after person was hit and killed by train. in sunnyvale while investigators searched for clues. cal tran tells us northbound train hit man this evening, not near a crossing. >>> youth badminton coach accused of molesting a girl.irl. rrested on mt. hamilton last week. works at synergy badmintonononon menlo park. >>> shut down illegal gambling parlors that disguised themselves as legal businesses. cropley avenue. computer shop thrived as gambling. led to violent crime. >> one of these locations

michael mcfaul and nbc news analyst, you have been up all night and this has been a remarkable presidenthat you saw and the importance of these events. i wanted to ask what you think of the fact that there is a national freak out happening about what the president did. the behavior of presidents of foreign summits is always of interest is always news worthy. it seems to have shaken that country. >> it is striking to me that it got an overwhelming reaction and all over the world. from what you said earlier, you and i have talked about this for many years. i want to emphasize that. because such a focus on the president today standing next to putin, that created the image and it would have been so easy for him to push back just a little bit, right? i'm sure that's what his advisers told him to do and yet he didn't do it. i just think it was jarring to see him doing that standing next to vladimir putin. hopefully it's a wake up call for our country to take this much more seriously. >> what are would taking it much more seriously mean in nuts and bolts terms. i have been starting to see the p

plus, stephen welcomes ambasador michael mcfaul and brian husky featuring jon batiste and stay human. and now, live on tape from the ed sullivan theater in new york city, it's stephen colbert! ( cheers and applause ) >> stephen: come on! hey! hello! please, have a seat, everybody. thank you so much. welcome, one and all, to "the lat"thelate show." i'm your host, stephen colbert. i am so happy-- ( cheers and applause ) back to you. i'm so happy to see you, you not-crazy people. because you gotta remember that you're not crazy, no matter what donald trump says. >> and just remember, what you're seeing and reading is not what's happening. >> stephen: oh, good. ( laughter ) oh, good. i was worried, because what i'm seeing and reading is that the president is a racist, horny, old burger-goblin who literally steals children from poor people. and i'm being told he's lying again? that makes sense, beause that's another one of the things i'm seeing and reading. every day, just like that, donald trump gets a little more brazen. for instance, yesterday he announced he is considering stripping th

wolf, that would be a highly irregular move, highly, highly irregular move to offer up michael mcfaul. the justice department wants to question the russians. wolf? >> sensitive issue. people -- a lot of experts believe that the finnish government in helsinki, the meeting took place at the presidential palace, you were there. that they probably have a recording of the meeting, as well. we'll see how all of this unfolds. jim at the white house, thank you very much. >>> as president trump seemingly contradicts his own intelligence chief about russian targeting of the united states, there are now growing demands to learn what went on during the private meeting with presidnt putin. tom foreman is here and working the story. tom? >> the math is simple here. you have a president of the united states whom many, many, many voters do not think they can trust. meeting with another man whom almost nobody trusts. and they want someone else in the room to tell them what went on. >> reporter: an unknown military deal, a secret pact about election interference? something else entirely? questions are

ambassador to russia michael mcfaul is tweeting even during the stall lynn era, the soviet government never had the and yous today it i to try to arrest u.s. government officials. think about that. joining me now, susan glasser. you have been working around the clock. thank you for being with me this morning. >> thanks for having me. >> how stunning is it that the white house is even considering this? >> stunning, pick your adjective. this is extraordinary and unprecedent unprecedented. these are not verbal gaffes that you're seeing from sarah sanders. this is something even more remarkable in my nearly two decades of observing russian/u.s. relations. and i should say through all that time working closely with mike mcfaul who is a stanford university professor before and after he was ambassador. a career expert on the former soviet union and russia. this just is mind blowing. if the sacrosanct nature is not partisan, anymore -- >> susan, hang on one second. let's listen into lindsey graham on the hill. >> -- taken away, driven out and now the russians are coming after him. i don't thi

one of those is michael mcfaul. he's been banned from entering russia. is the ambassador wrapped up in this? putin claims mcfaul is an associate of bill broward. he along with his lawyer exposed a web of fraud and deception. then mitt it in ski died in jail. that lead to a global mat it in ski act. to put it very frankly, lots have been sanctioned under that law and putin really, really, really hates it. so now putin is trying to get his hands on browder and anyone else he thinks is accused of it. ambassador mcfaul is back. we now know putin and trump talked about it behind closed doors. >> does president trump support that idea? is he open to the idea? >> the president's going to meet with his team and we'll let you know when we have an announcement on that. >> is that a topic ta came up in their confirmation? >> there was some conversation about it, but there wasn't a commitment made on behalf of the united states, and the president will work h team. >> the man of the moment mike mcfaul is with us now. ambassador mcfaul, it's good to have you on the sho

ambassador to russia, michael mcfaul?o congressman eric swalwell, democrat of california, who sits on the select committee on intelligence. congressman, thank you for being with us this morning. >> thank you, reverend. pleasure to be on. >> let me begin by asking, you have said that even the suggestion that the president of the united states, donald trump, would permit the questioning by the soviet union of mr. mcfaul and any u.s. diplomat or u.s. personnel is a betrayal to the country. how do you explain? that's a very strong statement. many of us may agree. but you as a sitting member of congress, how do you explain the statement and what can you do about it in the congress? >> i think with this president, reverend, you have to draw very sharp, very bright red lines and make sure he understands that if he were to negotiate away the release of a u.s. ambassador to a country that does not have a rule of law, that that would be a betrayal of an american. we know what would happen if that ambassador was turned over to russi

they had called russia's request absolutely absurd and ambassador michael mcfaul tweeted that he wouldope the white house would correct the record on what he calls a ridiculous request. so right now, in the senate, they are voting on this nonbinding resolution. we will keep you apprised as to what that vote reveals. >> all right, remember yesterday a reporter asked the president if he thinks russia is still targeting the u.s. resident trump said no. contradicting his top intelligence official. the white house later claimed that president trump was saying no to answering more questions from reporters. they were poor, president trump said that he meant to say he wouldn't when he said "i don't see any reason why it would be russia interfering." meantime, the director of national and intelligence dan coats is scheduled to speak in aspen, colorado. and we are expecting to hear more about all of this back-and-forth. earlier today homeland security secretary kirstjen nielsen set at that conference, while there is no question russian meddled in our election, there is no proof that the kremlin

>> michael mcfaul didn't commit a crime.is an issue that republicans and national security experts have with donald trump. it used to be something people said about the left which is this moral equivalence. he thinks the united states and russia are on the same moral plain. >> i know i am more of a conspiracy theorist. i will go back to my word -- narcissism is blinding. let's say he is not compromised. if he is not then that means that he is so narcissistic that he can't even potentially accept the fact that as has been proven russia interfered with the u.s. election because they favored him. james clapper talked about this, the fact that he just can't accept this idea. that is now causing great harm to our national security. it's causing great harm to have confidence in him even from his party. what was said in the meeting? >> you work for george w. bush. if vladimir putin said to george w. bush we can work during that early time when bush was trying to have a relationship and looked into his soul, if he said we can work o

where our speakers this evening, ambassador professor, michael mcfaul stairs as director. it is my pleasure and sincere honor to introduce michael to you this evening. although, sanford in particular, mike is the man who really needs very little introduction. just in case, you do not know mike, or his work i will give you a brief intro. mike has a long and distinguished history at stanford where he first came as an undergraduate from montana in the autumn quarter of 1981. if you get a few beers and him you'll find out that he was housed and -- he is joined with his wife in whom he was married little more than 10 years later. he was a double major and slavic languages and international relations.he co-termed in western and eastern european studies also got an ma here in 1986. his first trip to russia as he tells you in his highly acclaimed new book, and long anticipated, especially those of us that work them. was in 1983 as a sophomore here at stanford. and a photo of him holding up a poster that says, russia or bust, in the middle of this book as he headed off to the soviet

former russian ambassador michael mcfaul, the same ambassador putin wants to question, tweeting this, he says "i don't consider it sincerity to falsely accuse u.s. government officials of being criminals." the senate apparently agrees with him, voting 98-0 today to reject sending americans to moscow to be interrogated by put putin. the throughline in all of this, it's russia. president of the united states meeting behind closed doors with vladimir putin keeping what was discussed a secret. even from his own top intelligence chief. giving serious consideration to handing over americans to be questioned by putin. in exchange for his help with the investigation. and inviting putin to the white house. the white house. honestly. what is going on here? let's bring there now cnn global affairs analyst susan glasser. a staff writer at the "new yorker," for the "new yorker." maybe she can help us understand what's going on here. good evening to you, sauzusan. thank you so much for joining us. let's talk about vladimir putin. invited to washington for a second summit. are we in bizarre-o world

i can't see one. >> former ambassador michael mcfaul thank you for joining us. >>> tonight's last wordas long. let's fix it. play "connection" by onerepublic. (beep) ♪these days, my waves get lost in the ocean♪ ♪seven billion swimmers man ♪i'm going through the motions ♪sent up a flare need love and devotion♪ ♪trade it for some faces that i'll never know notion♪ ♪can i get a connection? ♪can i get can i get a connection?♪ ♪can i get a connection? ♪can i get can i get a connection?♪ happy anniversary dinner, darlin'. can this much love be cleaned by a little bit of dawn ultra? oh yeah one bottle has the grease cleaning power of three bottles of this other liquid. a drop of dawn and grease is gone. ♪now i'm gonna tell my momma ♪that i'm a traveller ♪i'm gonna follow the sun♪ ♪now i'm gonna tell my momma ♪that i'm a traveller ♪i'm gonna follow the sun transitions™ light under control™ omar, check this out. uh, yeah, i was calling to see if you do laser hair removal. for men. notice that my hips are off the ground. [ engine revving ] and then, i'm gonna pike my hips back into downward dog.

i can't see one. >> former ambassador michael mcfaul thank you for joining us. >>> tonight's last wordance music [burke] abstract accident. seen it. covered it. we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two. ♪ we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪ i've been making blades here at gillette for 20 years. i bet i'm the first blade maker you've ever met. there's a lot of innovation that goes into making our thinnest longest lasting blades on the market. precision machinery and high-quality materials from around the world. nobody else even comes close. it's about delivering a more comfortable shave every time. invented in boston, made and sold around the world. order now at gilletteondemand.com. gillette. the best a man can get. >>> time for tonight's last word. tomorrow is justice anthony kennedy's last day on the supreme court. justice ruth bader ginsburg yesterday said she is not going anywhere. at an event in new york city the 85-year-old said she doesn't plan on retiring after the 2020 presidential election. the "new york times" reports on the subject of her own event

and i would say against the interests of the united states of america. >> ambassador michael mcfaul andourth of july, and thank you both for your service to this country on this fourth of july. thank you very much. >> thank you. >>> this morning, catch-22 at the u.s. border. the white house's new ultimatum for migrant parents from their children. >>> plus the new push among democrats to get rid of i.c.e. in the movies, a lot of times, i tend to play the tough guy. but i wasn't tough enough to quit on my own. not until i tried chantix. chantix, along with support, helps you quit smoking. it reduced my urge to smoke to the point that i could stop. when you try to quit smoking, with or without chantix, you may have nicotine withdrawal symptoms. some people had changes in behavior or thinking, aggression, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, or suicidal thoughts or actions with chantix. serious side effects may include seizures, new or worse heart or blood vessel problems, sleepwalking or allergic and skin reactions which can be life-threatening. stop chantix and get help right away if you

were involved in bill browder, quote unquote, crimes, their term, including former ambassador michael mcfaul is president trump open to having u.s. citizens questioned? >> the president will meet with his team and let you know if we have an announcement on that. >> reporter: has putin raised this with president trump? >> there was some conversation about it. but there wasn't a commitment made on behalf of the united states and the president will work with his team and we'll let you know if there's an announcement on that front. >> sarah sanders not ruling out what would be an unprecedented move, turning over a former u.s. diplomat to russia for questioning. joining me now, victoria nuland, former u.s. ambassador to nato, former assistant secretary of state for european and eurasian affairs in john kerry's state department. victoria, great to see you, thank you very much. what went through your mind when you saw that, when you understood that the president talked to vladimir putin at putin's suggestion about turning over a list of americans for questioning by russia? and is considering it, di

joining us now is michael mcfaul. he is a former u.s. ambassador to russia. mr.assador, thank you very much for being here. it's nice to have you on a friday, on a holiday eve. >> a holiday. thanks for having me, rachel. >> let me ask you just about some of the nuts and bolts here. i recognize that congressional delegations happen all over the world. they happen to friendly countries. they happen to countries that we have real beefs with. they happen in high profile ways and low profile ways. it seems like a good things in term of what members of congress do with their time. is it unusual, though, to have a big congressional delegation like this, seven senators and a member of the house all from one party? >> yes, very unusual. it's very unusual to have that many senators, first of all. that's an incredible number of senators. but to have no democrats, that is highly unusual. and also, remember, i could be wrong, but i think almost all, if not all of these members are on the appropriations committee. they're not from the senate foreign relations committee that yo

i want to bring in michael mcfaul, the former u.s. ambassador to russia, now an msnbc international affairs analyst. here again we find ourselves in a situation where the president, who just tried to do cleanup on trusting the u.s. intelligence community, says that, no, he does not think russia is still targeting the u.s. help us make some sense of this. >> i can't. i'm sorry. i can't make sense of this. >> i mean -- >> honestly, i've never seen -- >> the director of national intelligence, just last week, said this is a blinking red light. >> right. >> what we're facing right now. a blinking red light. >> correct. >> what do you do if you're dan coats? what do you do, if you're the people in that room sitting around that table, who just sat him down yesterday and said you have to go back out there for the good of the country, for the good of the world, and clarify your comments that you support your own intelligence agencies. >> well, number one, i deeply respect dan coats for putting out a statement when the president was in helsinki

ambassador, michael mcfaul. here is ambassador mcfaul earlier. >> here's where it gets scary. there is something called interpol, where they can go around in third countries and stop people like me. mr. browder, his book is called "red notice," because that's what you put in the interpol system, and he has been harassed for years by the russian government. >> ambassador -- that is bill browder, putin's main target, the man who links everyone on the list, a financier, human rights activist and said he would be killed if he fell into russian hands and joins me now. thank you very much for the time. and i just want to mind michael mcfaul's twitter feed for a second here. something he tweeted earlier this week was, i did not ask putin to attack me and helsinki to raise book sales. he's just published a book. please stop with these cynical quips. having putin accuse me of committing crimes is a serious matter that will complicate my travel and work for a long, long time. this is something with which you're familiar and i want to get your perspective on this. being a target, as you

ambassador to russia michael mcfaul it wasn't until thursday four days after putin raised the proposal with trump the president weighed in through his press. secretary who stated president trump disagrees with it the resolutions agreed to on thursday the u.s. senate passed a unanimous resolution to protect any diplomat from extradition meantime further proof trump he is acting unilaterally his top intelligence chief caught by surprise by a white house invitation lattimer putin is coming to the white house in the fall they are going i. know you are right imprudent and i hear you. ok. the colts reaction is further proof the white house is still reeling from donald trump's public relations disaster in finland and is working to repair the damage caused by trump at the helsinki summit can really help at al-jazeera the white house or joining me from new york is countering greenberg she's director of the center on national security at fordham university school of law thank you very much indeed for joining us ma'am down coats we heard the director of national intelligence doesn't seem to have

. >> tonight, the kremlin is asking to interrogate michael mcfaul. now a stanford professor.he white house says mr. trump made no commitment but didn't rule it out. congressman eric swalwell tweeting at the president, you turn over former u.s. ambassador mcfaul to putin, you can count on me and millions of others to swiftly make you an ex-president. mcfaul responding to russia on rachel maddow tonight. >> insinuating that i and these other americans were part of the conspiracy. whether we're criminals, that's why they want to question us. you just have to push back on crazy stuff like that. it's in not just interest of people like me and the others, but it's in the american national interests. >> at the next few months before the election in november are crucial. >> ian cole, nbc bay area news. >> an emotional reunion for migrants at sfo. walter lopez's wife and his daughter saw each other for the first time. first time in four years. he's from guatemala, has been living in the u.s. his wife and daughter were separated in may when they crossed the border. the 5-year-old was s

the white house didn't real out american citizens including the former ambassador to are ushia, michael mcfaul it appeared to be trumped upcharges out ofoscow. it one the state department calls absolutely absurthis morning. ambassador msacfau he is floored by the white house's consideration. >>wahat s totally flabbergasted by was that the white house would nodefend me. i'm an american citizen and i worked for the government for five years it would have been so easy to bat it back. >> sarah sanders said she will get back to us regarding putin's request. >> t russian grad student working to advance the kremlin agenda will remain behind bars until her trial. maria butina is too greatly of a flht risk. she joined the nra to cozy up to influential republicans and tried to trade sex for access to a political group. outside the court followg the case >> the fbi said two years ago she was making a name for herself as a college student and gun enthusiast hoping to further relations with russia. her every move was directed byss n government official; close ally of vladimir putin she hit in plain sight t

we benefit from the insights of ambassador michael mcfaul. he is an international affairs analyst for msnbc. he has met with president putin many times. first one of those meetings back in 1991 in the mayor's office in st. petersburg. he has written about president trump, what that meeting might be like with the russian president for "the washington post." ambassador mcfaul is in helsinki for us this afternoon. let me ask you, first of all, about one element of your piece. you say putin is extremely confident. some might say arrogant in his views about international affairs. before we get into what the interperson interpersonal relationship might be like once the men close these doors, let me ask you about his grasp much the issues compared to the president of the united states. he has been in this role mostly for the last two decades. >> yeah. 20 years. he has been doing this for a long time. this is his fourth president. he has met clinton, bush, obama, and now president trump. all the issues that you have just been discussing, he has been