House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi questioned why President Trump would authorize a narrow group of transactions between American companies and Russian spies, alleging the Kremlin must have incriminating information on the president.
In a statement released Thursday, Pelosi claimed Trump had given Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin a “thank you present” by easing some restrictions placed on Russia by the Obama administration. The administration allowed American technology companies to obtain licenses that would allow them to sell their products to the Federal Security Service, which took over for the infamous KGB.
Sanctions experts said the move was planned, and White House press secretary Sean Spicer said it’s typical for sanctions to be changed after they’re handed down.
But Pelosi is arguing the move is proof the Russians have something on Trump.
“Less than two weeks after walking into the White House, President Trump lifts sanctions on the Russian Security Service. Vladimir Putin’s thugs meddle with an American election, and President Trump gives them a thank you present,” Pelosi said. “I have been asking the same question for a while: what do the Russians have on President Trump?”
“The FBI must accelerate their investigation into the financial, personal and political ties between Donald Trump and Russia,” she said. “President Trump’s reckless and dangerous agenda is jeopardizing America’s national security.”
Pelosi saw the moment as a time to call for more investigation into Russia’s meddling in the presidential election.
“With every day that passes, the need for a bipartisan, independent, outside commission to investigate Russia’s intervention in our election becomes clearer and more urgent,” she said. “We must understand how Russia hacked into our democratic institutions, and ensure it never happens again.”
