Though there are several important issues President Donald Trump should talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin about when they meet at the G20 summit next week, Russian meddling in the U.S. election should be one of them, Rep. Mark Sanford said Monday.
"I think they're both alpha males. And the question of this meeting is who is going to out-alpha who?" Sanford, a South Carolina Republican, told CNN's "The Situation Room."
CNN reported that White House officials say Trump is not likely to bring up the subject, but Sanford said the White House should not be concerned that doing so would be an indication anyone in his campaign colluded with the Russians to get him elected.
That said, "it's unequivocally clear" that Russia has tried to have an impact on numerous countries around the globe, with the United States on that list, Sanford added.
"So to not bring it up, I think, would be strange," he said. "I think it would be a missed opportunity. I think it would be important to bring it up."
Trump should talk about Syrian atrocities as well as Russia's intrusion into Ukraine, Sanford said, but ignoring the election meddling issue could only give fodder to critics.