President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman dismissed new claims concerning Russia’s ties to the Trump presidential campaign Thursday, rejecting allegations that recently emerged about potential connections between senior campaign officials and Moscow.
Dmitry Peskov, Mr. Putin’s press secretary, said a CNN report published Wednesday linking the Trump administration to Russia wasn’t worthy of discussing, The Moscow Times reported following a Thursday press briefing.
“It’s the usual information from unclear sources that defies reason and doesn’t deserve to be commented on,” Mr. Peskov said, The Times reported.
The Kremlin spokesman was specifically commenting with respect to a CNN article published Wednesday indicating persons close to President Trump may have communicated with alleged Russian operatives prior to his election last year in an effort to damage Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
While the U.S. intelligence community concluded in January that Russia had interfered in last year’s White House race to hinder Mrs. Clinton’s chance of winning, FBI Director James Comey unveiled only this Monday that federal investigators are examining potential ties between the Trump campaign and individuals in Russia.
Citing unnamed U.S. officials, CNN said Wednesday that the FBI is reviewing evidence that could indicate several of Mr. Trump’s associates had coordinated with Russians known to U.S. intelligence during the 2016 U.S. presidential race.
Mr. Peskov said he wasn’t entitled to comment on leaked information appearing in media reports and called it “an internal matter” for the U.S., Russia’s TASS newswire reported. Russia has its own leaks, he added, “but not to such an extent.”
The FBI is allegedly investigating at least four former Trump campaign associates for potentially illegal ties to Russia, CNN reported Wednesday, including Roger Stone, Carter Page, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort.
Asked specifically to comment on Mr. Manafort, the Kremlin spokesman said Thursday he was unaware of any contact between Moscow and the former Trump campaign chairman.
The White House has repeatedly denied colluding with Russia.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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