Sen. Lindsey Graham said Friday that President Donald Trump must let Russian President Vladimir Putin know that "I'm going to be your worst enemy" if Moscow doesn't stop interfering in U.S. elections and "be a better world citizen."
"Russia didn't beat Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump did," the South Carolina Republican told Fox News host Martha MacCallum. "Russia did interfere in our election.
"If I were the president, I would not ask Putin if he did it.
"I would reject his denial. I know you did it.
"If you continue to do it, we will never have a good relationship," Graham said. "I desire a good relationship.
"But you have got to stop meddling in our elections," the senator continued. "You have got to stop helping the Taliban in Afghanistan. Have got to stop propping up [Syrian President Bashar] Assad and helping Iran."
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday that Trump and Putin will meet Monday in Helsinki, Finland, despite 12 Russian intelligence officials being indicted by the U.S. for Democratic election hacking.
Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told MacCallum that Trump must approach Monday's session understanding that Putin "is not your friend."
"If you don't go in there with that perspective, he could engineer the conversation."
The third-term senator then referenced Trump's summit last month with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
"The only reason he met him is Kim Jong Un believes that military force would be used by Trump if he had to," Graham said.
"He has got to convince Putin that there is a better relationship available between the United States and Russia, but here are the terms and conditions.
"If he fails to meet those terms and conditions, I'm going to be your worst enemy.
"I could be your best friend," he said, "but I could be your worst enemy.
"If Putin doesn't believe that, that will be a mistake."
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