WASHINGTON _ Sen. Rand Paul, one of the few Republicans who has defended President Donald Trump's outreach to Russia, has gone even further to solidify ties: During a trip to Moscow he announced that he'd delivered a letter from Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin's administration.
Paul boasted via Twitter Wednesday morning that he was "honored" to deliver the missive, which he said "emphasized the importance of further engagement in various areas including countering terrorism, enhancing legislative dialogue and resuming cultural exchanges."
The tweet set off a flurry of speculation, given the controversy sparked by a Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki last month. Yet the White House said after Paul's declaration that it was the Kentucky senator who had requested the letter to Putin _ and that Trump included in the letter issues that Paul has raised.
