US President Donald Trump and senior members of his Republican Party have attempted to mend ties with allies following a European tour where he castigated NATO partners and held a cosy press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Mr Trump was not originally scheduled to speak to reporters at the White House on Tuesday.
The event, where Mr Trump also attempted to clarify his public undermining of American intelligence agencies, took several bizarre turns that made it appear he was in a scene from the TV comedies Veep or Yes Minister.
At one point the lights went out in the White House Cabinet Room, leaving the president in the dark.
"Oops, they just turned off the light," an amused Mr Trump said.
"That must be the intelligence agencies."
He also offered a head-scratching explanation for supporting Mr Putin's denial Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election, despite the US intelligence community unanimously concluding Russia did.
Mr Trump's backing of Mr Putin during their joint press conference in Helsinki, Finland, on Monday, infuriated Republican and Democrat members of Congress.
Trump, in a rare moment where he admitted making a mistake, said on Tuesday he meant to say "wouldn't" not "would" at the Helsinki press conference.
"The sentence should have been, 'I don't see any reason why I wouldn't', or 'Why it wouldn't be Russia' instead of 'Why it would'," Trump told reporters on Tuesday.
In Helsinki Mr Trump was asked by a reporter if he backed the assessment of "every US intelligence agency" that Russia meddled in the election or did he believe Mr Putin who denied Russia was involved.
"Who do you believe?" the reporter asked in Helsinki.
Mr Trump replied: "He (Mr Putin) just said it's not Russia. I will say this: I don't see any reason why it would be."
Mr Trump's European tour included blasting NATO members for not paying enough on defence, undermining British Prime Minister Theresa May on trade and running late and walking in front of Queen Elizabeth II during an honour guard.
Republicans on Capitol Hill, who rarely criticise the president, went to great lengths to ease concerns of allies.
The damage control comes ahead of next week's Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in California between Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Defence Minister Marise Payne, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
In an astonishing public relations convoy, top Republicans lined up before cameras to assure allies America was still a friend.
US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared what was previously taken for granted: "European countries are our friends and the Russians are not".
Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said: "There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world".
Republican Senator John McCain said Mr Trump's comments in Helsinki were "one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory" and Republican Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker said Mr Trump "made us look like a pushover".
Australian Associated Press
