Trump Calls 2016 Russian Interference Probe a ‘Hoax’ in Phone Call with Vladimir Putin: ‘It Was a Total Disgrace’

After a Justice Department decision to drop the charges against his former national security adviser, President Donald Trump wasted no time once again attacking the investigation into 2016 Russian election interference, calling it a “hoax” during a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

“The Russian hoax made it very hard for the U.S. and Russia to deal with each other,” Trump said in a White House meeting before relaying his comments during a call with Putin earlier in the day. “They’re a very important nation. We’re the most powerful nation. They’re a very powerful nation. Why wouldn’t we be dealing with each other?”

Referring to his conversation, Trump recounted saying to Putin: “You know, it’s a very appropriate time, because things are falling out now and coming in line showing what a hoax this whole investigation was, it was a total disgrace.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you see a lot of things happen over the next number of weeks,” Trump added cryptically. “This is just one piece of a very dishonest puzzle.”

Trump has been outspoken since reports surfaced that Russia meddled in the 2016 election, a finding that has been verified by U.S. intelligence agencies and a bipartisan Senate investigation. Nevertheless, Trump has repeatedly dismissed the election interference and subsequent investigation of it as “hoax.” More recently, he said the Russia “hoax is dead” at a March 2019 Michigan rally.

Watch the video above, via Fox News.