On this weekend’s broadcast of “Fox News Sunday,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo battled anchor Chris Wallace over President Donald Trump’s comments about accepting foreign dirt on opponents from foreign governments.
Wallace asked, “Is accepting oppo research from a foreign government right or wrong?”
Pompeo replied, “Chris, you know you asked me not to call any of your questions today ridiculous, you came really close right there.”
He added, “President Trump has been very clear, he clarified his remarks later, he made it very clear, even in his first comments, he said I’d do both. He said he’d call the FBI.”
Wallace interrupted. “He said maybe I do both.”
Pompeo said, “President Trump has been very clear that he will always make sure that he gets it right for the American people, and I’m confident he’ll do that here as well.”
Wallace pressed, “Well, at the risk of getting your ire, the president told ‘Fox & Friends’ on Friday, and I agree, he kind of walked it back on Friday—”
Pompeo interjected, “No, he didn’t walk it back, Chris,”
Wallace said, “Yes he did, because he said ‘maybe’ on Thursday, and then Friday on ‘Fox & Friends’ he said he’d listen first and then if the information was bad, that he would take it to the FBI or the attorney general. But he also made it clear to George Stephanopoulos that he did not see this as foreign interference.”
He added, “He says it’s not interference, it’s information. The country and I don’t have to tell you, has a long history dating back to George Washington in saying that foreign interference in our elections is unacceptable.”
Pompeo said, “Chris, President Trump believes that too. I have nothing further to add. I came on to talk about foreign policy, and I think the third time you’ve asked me about a Washington piece of silliness that, chased down a story that is inconsistent with what I have seen President Trump do every single day.”
Wallace said, “I will leave it there. I think I only asked you twice, but that’s all right, Mr. Secretary.”
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