GOP rep: Trump was wrong ‘to think that somehow we could deal with Putin’

Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) said Thursday that President Trump was well-intentioned, but wrong “to think that somehow we could deal” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“There’s a lot of blame here to go around,” he said, referring to Russia’s election meddling during an appearance on CNN’s “New Day. “And I think President Trump was wrong during the campaign. I think he was well-intentioned but misguided to think somehow we could deal with Putin.”

“He is KGB, he will always be KGB,” King added. 

Trump has been criticized for comments downplaying the investigation into the election interference and possible collusion between his campaign and Moscow as a “witch hunt.” The president’s critics have also targeted his efforts to build stronger diplomatic ties with Russia and Putin.

King, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said Thursday that he hopes Trump takes a tough stance against Russia, noting he was “never of the belief that we could work with Putin.” 

The congressman also said former President Obama made one of the “worst foreign policy mistakes in decades” by attempting diplomacy with Russia during the Syrian civil war in 2013, adding that he hopes Trump does not repeat the mistake.