White House claims they were fooled, suckered, or hoodwinked by the Russians today.

[greyl]

From WAPO:

Presence of Russian photographer in Oval Office raises alarms
By Carol Morello and Greg Miller May 10 at 9:23 PM

A photographer for a Russian state-owned news agency was allowed into the Oval Office on Wednesday during President Trump’s meeting with Russian diplomats, a level of access that was criticized by former U.S. intelligence officials as a potential security breach.
...

The administration official also said the White House had been misled about the role of the Russian photographer. Russian officials had described the individual as Lavrov’s official photographer without disclosing that he also worked for Tass.

“We were not informed by the Russians that their official photographer was dual-hatted and would be releasing the photographs on the state news agency,” the administration official said.

As a result, White House officials said they were surprised to see photos posted online showing Trump not only with Lavrov but also smiling and shaking hands with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.
...

More, behind paywall: http://wapo.st/2pzcErx (or disable javascript in your browser)

[Phoenix61]

1. Yeah, right

And I've got a bridge for sale.

[Orrex]

2. But were they bamboozled?

Hornswaggled?

[greyl]

5. Yes, and flim-flammed

as well as took!

[Adsos Letter]

15. Snookered, as well.

[greyl]

19. Mmm hmm. I didn't want to go so far as to say they were tricked. nt

[MattP]

3. I wonder if they let the Russians put cameras in while they were at it

He's paranoid about Obama tapping his phone but having a bunch of Russians in the ovsl office with him no probelm

[NCjack]

12. #45 has the responsibility to replace the batteries every July 4th. nt

[Mr. Ected]

4. But certainly not a national security threat like, say,

Hillary's emails.

[Solly Mack]

6. Snort

[kentuck]

7. Mr McConnell...

Have you no shame?

[Raster]

13. No, Comrade McConnell has no shame.

[VOX]

8. Oh, right, as they thrust their bare buttocks skyward...

in an act of complete supplication to the Russians.

[MedusaX]

9. FFS.... What a bunch of spineless dick-heads...

They knew good & well exactly who was who & what pictures they were smiling for...

No true idiot would ever admit that they were 'tricked or bamboozled" or
failed to even successfully "extremely vet" a russian state operative with a camera -- snapping away unsupervised in the fucking oval office ...

Which means that they must just get off on blatantly lying - you know, for the hell of it...

[Flaleftist]

10. So they are admitting incompetence?

[dalton99a]

11. They'd better do a thorough bug sweep

[Raster]

14. Why? Cheetolini will tell them anything they want to know anyway...

...Donald tRump* has actually been an abject failure in business, and has been bailed out NUMEROUS TIMES by everyone from his racist old man to a Saudi Prince to Russian oligarchs fronting for Vladimir Putin*. I'm not surprised American journalists or photographers were not allowed in the Oval Office for Russiapalooza... it's that cock holster thing.

[gratuitous]

16. Always good to have a little insurance

Just in case your asset starts to drift, you know.

[gratuitous]

17. President Trump has a cunning plan to pay off the national debt

He's really, really sure that he'll find the black queen this time, and the dealer promised that if he got it, the national debt could be retired.

God DAMN but these fuckers are strictly amateur hour. "We were not informed by the Russians . . ."

[tavalon]

18. Really? Really!

Wow, I knew they were incompetent but this is just dumbass.