Sen. Jeff Flake said he thinks President Trump’s campaign wasn’t “competent enough” to collude with the Russian government, according to a CNBC interview that aired on Friday.
“I don’t think that the campaign colluded in some meaningful way. I don’t think that they were organized enough, or competent enough as a campaign to do that,” Mr. Flake, Arizona Republican, said on CNBC.
He did say they need to address the issue of Russia’s attempted meddling in the 2016 campaign, and how to prevent a similar occurrence in the upcoming midterm races.
“It is troubling that they won’t accept that that kind of intervention was happening on the part of the Russians and won’t look to combat it. But I think it’s more out of a sense of trying to protect his status as somebody who won the election,” Mr. Flake said.
The Arizona senator has been vocal in his criticism of Mr. Trump and the administration since he decided to retire at the end of his term. Mr. Flake has given speeches on the Senate floor to call out the administration on various issues and urged his Republican colleagues to also challenge Mr. Trump.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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