President Trump Even in the age of Trump, when we've gotten used to hearing unbelievable things, this was a stunner. The President, in an Oval Office interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, said he would listen to a foreign government if it came to him with dirt on a political opponent. "I think you might want to listen," Trump said. "There isn't anything wrong with listening." Remember, the President has consistently downplayed Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 contest and cast doubts on US intelligence agencies' assessments of it. Trump's statement also is at odds with FBI Director Christopher Wray's comment during his confirmation hearings that politicians and their operatives should report to the FBI attempts by foreign governments to interfere in US elections. Trump told ABC, "The FBI director is wrong." Democrats pounced on the President's statements, which fanned more calls from the party for impeachment. "This is criminal. It is criminal. And we need to hold this president accountable," US Rep. Brenda Lawrence told CNN's Erin Burnett. The ever-growing gaggle of Democratic presidential candidates joined in, too, with US Sen. Kamala Harris calling Trump "a national security threat." CNN's Stephen Collinson said Trump's words risk the integrity of the 2020 vote and could even open up the election to interference from foreign spies. Republicans were largely silent. |
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