'NO COLLUSION:' Trump says vindicated by Russia meddling indictments

WASHINGTON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The White House on Friday declared that U.S. indictments of Russians for meddling in the 2016 presidential election showed that the campaign of President Donald Trump had nothing to do with an issue that has overshadowed his year in office.

Trump, who was briefed on the indictments, was "glad to see the Special Counsel’s investigation further indicates - that there was NO COLLUSION between the Trump campaign and Russia and that the outcome of the election was not changed or affected," the White House said in a statement.

"It’s time we stop the outlandish partisan attacks, wild and false allegations, and far-fetched theories, which only serve to further the agendas of bad actors, like Russia, and do nothing to protect the principles of our institutions," Trump said in the statement. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)