Kremlin official: ‘Stupid’ to think Trump is working for Russia

A Kremlin official on Wednesday dismissed reports that President Trump was being investigated for possibly working for Russia, calling the idea “stupid.”

“This is stupid, what is there to comment?” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters after being asked to comment on possible ties between Trump and Russia.

{mosads}The comments come days after a bombshell New York Times report that says after the president fired former FBI Director James Comey, the bureau launched an inquiry into whether Trump was working for Russia.

According to the Times, Comey’s firing caused such concern among law enforcement that officials began investigating if Trump was secretly carrying out anti-American agendas on behalf of Russian officials.

The White House has pushed back on the story, with White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders calling the report “absurd” and Trump saying the idea was a “disgrace.” 

Comey’s firing is a focal point of special counsel Robert Mueller’s inquiry into whether Trump attempted to obstruct the probe into ties between his campaign and Moscow in the 2016 presidential election.

The White House is under renewed scrutiny over allegations of Trump’s ties to Russia after the Times report and a separate report from The Washington Post that says Trump pressured an interpreter to not share notes from a private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The administration also drew criticism after announcing in December that it was seeking to ease sanctions on companies owned by a Russian oligarch with ties to the Kremlin.