President Donald Trump said Tuesday he accepts his intelligence community's conclusion that Russia sought to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

"I accept our intelligence community's conclusion that Russia's meddling in the 2016 election took place," he said before a meeting with Republican congressional members at the White House.

(Getty/Kyodo)

Trump made the comments a day after he apparently sided with Moscow over the matter as Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his denial of his country's interference in Trump's favor.

After Trump's remarks on Monday, Director of U.S. National Intelligence Daniel Coats said the intelligence community has maintained the assessment that Russia interfered in the election.