In an interview with CBS News, President Donald Trump says he holds Russian President Vladimir Putin personally responsible for Russia's meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.

"I let him know we can't have this, we're not going to have it, and that's the way it's going to be."

In his latest account of a summit with Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump said he laid down the law when they met.

In a CBS interview that aired late Wednesday, Trump also said he holds Putin personally responsible for alleged meddling in the 2016 elections.

"So certainly as the leader of a country you would have to hold him responsible, yes."

It came at the end of a day that saw the White House struggling to contain political outcry and confusion over the Helsinki meeting between the two leaders.

First, Trump appeared to contradict what U.S. intelligence says, that Russia is still undermining elections, with this.

Hours later, press secretary Sarah Sanders denied Trump ever meant to say Moscow was no longer targeting the US.

She says he was simply saying 'no' to answering questions.