Trump: Tales Of 'Secret Dinner' With Putin Are 'Fake News'

In a tweet Tuesday night, Trump addressed the reports, calling them "sick" and saying that all G-20 leaders and spouses were invited to the dinner.

"Fake News story of secret dinner with Putin is 'sick,'" Trump said. "All G 20 leaders, and spouses, were invited by the Chancellor of Germany. Press knew!"

Fake News story of secret dinner with Putin is "sick." All G 20 leaders, and spouses, were invited by the Chancellor of Germany. Press knew!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2017

In a second tweet, Trump blamed the news media for attempting to make an innocuous meeting between Putin and Trump look "sinister."

"The Fake News is becoming more and more dishonest! Even a dinner arranged for top 20 leaders in Germany is made to look sinister," he added.

The Fake News is becoming more and more dishonest! Even a dinner arranged for top 20 leaders in Germany is made to look sinister!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2017

The White House subsequently released a statement about the meeting between the two that said it was just a “brief conversation at the end of a dinner.”

“During the course of the dinner, all the leaders circulated throughout the room and spoke with one another freely. President Trump spoke with many leaders during the course of the evening. As the dinner was concluding, President Trump went over to Mrs. Trump, where he spoke briefly with President Putin,” the statement said. “Each couple was allowed one translator. The American translator accompanying President Trump spoke Japanese. When President Trump spoke to President Putin, the two leaders used the Russian translator, since the American translator did not speak Russian. There was no ‘second meeting’ between President Trump and President Putin, just a brief conversation at the end of a dinner. The insinuation that the White House has tried to ‘hide’ a second meeting is false, malicious and absurd.”