Tom Cotton: Trump could be more focused on agenda

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has advice for President Trump: Stay focused on policy.

“I think the president could be more focused and disciplined about staying on his agenda,” Cotton told former Obama administration senior adviser David Axelrod on “The Axe Files” podcast Monday.

“I’ve communicated that publicly as well as privately to him.”

Cotton said Trump would do well if he focuses on “things like jobs, wages and security,” as opposed to focusing on allegations surrounding the Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race.

{mosads}”To the extent that he’s focused on all of the hair on fire, wild-eyed allegations and drama around these inquiries, he’s going to do less well,” Cotton said.

Trump often tweets about the Russia investigation, slamming the probe as a “witch hunt” and suggesting it is an excuse from Democrats for losing the election.

A report last month said Trump aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner in December sought to establish a backchannel line of communication between the Trump transition team and Moscow during a meeting with the Russian ambassador to the U.S.

Cotton during the interview discussed reports that Kushner met with Russian officials during the transition period.

“As a general matter, there’s nothing inappropriate about members of the transition meeting with representatives of a foreign government,” Cotton said.

He added that he “can’t evaluate what was said in conversations in private meetings or on phone calls” and said he wants to hear Kushner “tell his side of the story” to the Senate Intelligence Committee.