Rep. Eric SwalwellEric Michael SwalwellNASCAR bans display of Confederate flag from events and properties Gloves come off as Democrats fight for House seat in California Grenell says intelligence community working to declassify Flynn-Kislyak transcripts MORE (D-Calif.) called President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE a national security risk in a CNN interview, slamming the president for his foreign policy priorities.

Swalwell, who’s running for the White House in 2020, criticized the president for not taking a more aggressive stance toward Russia when asked about a Saturday report from The New York Times that officials are ramping up “digital incursions” into Russia’s power grid and not briefing Trump about the efforts because of “concern over his reaction.”

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When asked by CNN host Ana Cabrera, “Do you consider President Trump a national security risk?,” Swalwell replied that he did.

“Yes, I do. He has invited the Russians to attack us again. He has not disclosed to us his financial arrangements with the Russians that he and his family have talked about in the past, and he’s failed to act against them to punish them for what they did in the last election,” Swalwell told Cabrera. 

Swalwell also cited the Trump administration lifting some sanctions on Russian businesses and his decision to pull American troops out of Syria, a decision that was criticized by several congressional Republicans.

“He’s actually gone the other direction — reducing sanctions, pulling us out of Syria at their request,” Swalwell said. 

Trump on Saturday accused the Times of committing “a virtual act of Treason” over its report about the U.S. increasing cyberattacks on Russia’s electric power grid, while saying in a separate tweet that the story was “NOT TRUE!”

“Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia,” Trump tweeted. “This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country.”

“Anything goes with our Corrupt News Media today,” he added in another tweet. “They will do, or say, whatever it takes, with not even the slightest thought of consequence! These are true cowards and without doubt, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!”

The Times stood by its story, saying on Twitter that “accusing the press of treason is dangerous.”

The California lawmaker, who serves on the House Intelligence Committee, added in the CNN interview that if he were elected president, he would work on strengthening relations with America’s “traditional allies,” like NATO countries.  

“We’ll spend more on national defense in our country if we have fewer friends or if we have the wrong friends like the Russians, the North Koreans and the Saudis. If we don’t have the right friends, like our traditional allies, we’re going to have to spend more,” Swalwell said.

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