The encounter occurred more than midway through the lengthy dinner, when Mr. Trump left his seat and approached Mr. Putin, who had been seated next to his wife, first lady Melania Trump. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that any insinuation that the White House has tried to hide the encounter was false. A second White House official confirmed that the meeting had occurred but did not offer any details, and insisted on anonymity because the discussion was private. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyThe evening after Mr. Trump’s two meetings with Mr. Putin — the first lasting 135 minutes and the later, hourlong dinner conversation — the American president returned to Washington. “These deals, so to speak, are going to take some time,” Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman, told reporters on Tuesday.

Source: New York Times July 18, 2017 22:39 UTC