Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., declared Russian President Vladimir Putin the “premier and most important threat, more so than ISIS,” during a local interview with Australia’s ABC on Monday.
“I think ISIS can do terrible things. But it’s the Russians who tried to destroy the fundamental of democracy and that is to change the outcome of an American election,” McCain said. “They just tried to affect the outcome of the French election. So I view Vladimir Putin — who has dismembered Ukraine, a sovereign nation, who is putting pressure on the Baltics — I view the Russians as the far greatest challenge that we have.”
While McCain said he does not believe Putin succeeded in his attempts to affect the election outcomes, he said the Russian leader must be punished. McCain hopes the Senate will take action and impose sanctions on Russia when it returns from its current break.
McCain also said he was troubled by a report that White House senior adviser Jared Kushner tried to set up a secret, secure line of communication between President Trump’s team and Moscow during the transition.
“I don’t like it, I just don’t,” McCain added in his interview. “I know some administration officials are saying this is standard procedure. I don’t think it’s standard procedure prior to the inauguration of the president of the United States by someone who is not in an appointed position.”
The Senate will return to Washington on June 5.
