Senator John McCain has criticized President Trump for stating that he believes Russia didn’t interfere in last year’s presidential election.

On Saturday, Trump said he believed Vladimir Putin when he said he didn’t meddle with the election. Trump told reporters that he had asked Putin, and there were only so many times you could ask the question.

John McCain clearly did not agree with the president’s comments, posting a statement which said:

“There’s nothing “America First” about taking the word of a KGB colonel over that of the American intelligence community. There’s no “principled realism” in cooperating with Russia to prop up the murderous Assad regime, which remains the greatest obstacle to a political solution that would bring an end to the bloodshed in Syria.”

He added, “Vladimir Putin does not have America’s interests at heart. To believe otherwise is not only naive but also places our national security at risk.”

During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Trump said: 

“He said he didn’t meddle. I just asked him again. He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election. He did not do what they are saying he did.” 

Trump added that he “really believes” Putin when he says Russia didn’t interfere and that he thinks Putin is “very insulted” by the accusations, “which is not a good thing for our country.” 

Putin has reportedly asked to set up a meeting with Trump.

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