Trump Claims Colin Powell Comment on Media Hysteria is Evidence Russia Didn’t Target American Troops

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was skeptical of claims that Russia had placed bounties for the Taliban to kill American troops, citing a comment by former Secretary of State Colin Powell that coverage of the issue had become “hysterical” in order to suggest that the reporting was inaccurate.

“I told you I’ve read about it, and have certainly talked about it,” Trump told reporters during a morning driveway gaggle at the White House. “Colin Powell says that’s not true and other people say it’s not true. If it were true I would be very angry about it.”

A New York Times report in June indicated Russia had been using bounties to encourage the Taliban to target American troops, and that the President knew about it. Trump has sparred with reporters over the issue, suggesting he doesn’t view the intelligence as credible.

Powell, who has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in this year’s election, said in an interview this month he viewed coverage of the issue as “hysterical,” adding, “I know that our military commanders on the ground did not think that it was as serious a problem as the newspapers were reporting and television was reporting.”

Trump this week revealed in an interview that he did not bring up the issue of bounties on American troops when he recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, causing a social media stir.

Trump added during Wednesday’s gaggle that Russia “lost a fortune and a lot of people” during the Soviet Union’s incursion into Afghanistan. “So I don’t know why they’d be doing it, but if you tell me they’re doing it, I will certainly take it under consideration,” Trump said.

Watch above via Fox News.