Sen. Cotton: Russia Uses Money, Intel, to Divide US Political Opinion

Sen. Tom Cotton on Sunday defended national security adviser H.R McMaster amid a reported suspicious flood of Twitter calls for his firing, saying Russian intelligence has spread "disinformation" in the past.

In an interview on CBS News' "Face The Nation," the Arkansas Republican refused to comment directly on the New York Times report that the top hashtag among 600 Twitter accounts linked to Russian influence operations last Thursday was #FireMcMaster.

"I think H.R. McMaster's a great American," he said, adding: "It shouldn't surprise any American to know that Russia uses its money and its intelligence services to spread disinformation, use subterfuge and deception and manipulation, to try to divide political opinion within the United States, within any Western European country, or among NATO countries."

"That's one of the techniques that Russia has used for decades, during the Cold War and during the Putin era."

Cotton also pushed back on President Donald Trump's criticism of Congress for being the reason why U.S. relations with Moscow are at a low point.

"Russia remains an adversary to the United States," Cotton said. "We have some overlapping interests. It would be better if our relationship was better. But our relationship is not good right now because of [Russia President] Vladimir Putin."

Cotton also praised consideration by the Trump administration of "providing defensive weaponry to Ukraine."

"I encourage the President and the administration to take a look at those steps," he said. "I know they are doing so through deliberate, careful National Security Council meetings."

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