House Intelligence Democrat suggests there are more undisclosed Donald Trump Jr. contacts with Russians
In an interview on MSNBC on Wednesday, Rep. Jackie Speier said that Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer last year to supposedly obtain damaging information on Hilary Clinton "may be the tip of the iceberg," and suggested that there may be more communication between the president's son and Russians.
"I believe there was probably a phone conversation that Donald Trump Jr. had with someone before the actual meeting took place," Speier said.
"And then there was clearly a message being sent by the Russians that 'We want to help your father out, we want to help Trump get elected to the presidency.'"
Trump Jr. has come under intense scrutiny for the meeting, which was brokered by music publicist Rob Goldstone, who described the potential damaging information on Clinton as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump."
Though the president's son's statements evolved significantly as more details of the meeting emerged, he defended his conduct, saying he was looking to confirm rumors about Clinton.
President Donald Trump himself has defended his son, arguing on Twitter that "most politicians would have gone" to the meeting, though many former campaign officials from both parties, as well as Trump's own nominee to lead the FBI, said Trump Jr. should have alerted law enforcement about the Russian lawyer's request.
Trump Jr. is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week.