Republican Senators Tweak Trump For Putin Call, Knock White House Leaker

Republican senators criticized President Donald Trump on Wednesday for congratulating Russian President Vladimir Putin on winning another term and not calling him out on Russian meddling during the 2016 presidential election.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida disapproved of Trump making the call, but he said he was more disappointed by leaks from the White House that revealed Trump’s national security advisers urged the President not to congratulate Putin before the call.

“So, I don’t like what he did, but I really hate that there’s someone in his inner circle that’s willing to leak this stuff,” Rubio said. “If you don’t like working for the President, you should resign your job.”

Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana downplayed the Putin call as “polite” and blasted White House staff for the leak, saying whoever is responsible should be prosecuted and added that if he were king for a day, he would “hit (Putin) so hard with sanctions that he would cough up bones.”

The Washington Post first reported Tuesday that Trump congratulated Putin despite warnings from his staff.