CNN panelists sparred on Tuesday night during a discussion over legendary investigative journalist Bob Woodward's new book, which revealed up to seven phone calls former President Donald Trump had with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the MAGA leader left the White House.
Scott Taylor, a former Virginia Republican congressman, told CNN anchor Abby Phillip on "NewsNight" that it's "fair to ask" why the former president has repeatedly had phone calls with Putin — "if it's true."
"I don't know if it's true. I know it's this reporting," he said.
Taylor then claimed former Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State John Kerry faced a similar situation when he met with Iranian officials after leaving office.
In that controversy, Kerry admitted he met with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on several occasions after leaving his position. Former President Donald Trump accused Kerry of violating a federal law that criminalizes negotiations by unauthorized persons with foreign governments in dispute with the United States.
“John Kerry violated the Logan Act,” Trump said at the time. “He’s talking to Iran and has many meetings and many phone calls and he’s telling them what to do. That is total violation of the Logan Act.”
That fact was not lost on Phillip, who pointed out as such to Taylor, a Trump ally.
Taylor noted that even so, the Trump campaign called Woodward's reporting false.
"I will say that Mrs. Harris was sent over there to stop the war, and shortly after Putin invaded, as he did under Obama and Biden," said Taylor. "It's my opinion that the next president, and hopefully it'll be Donald Trump, has the ability to speak to Putin — and I know that's a dirty word in a lot of circles. It's sort of ridiculous, because you need to be speaking to your enemy of course."
Taylor said he believes Trump could stop World War III — "and that's what I'm betting on."
His comments got immediate pushback from Kara Swisher, host of the podcasts "On" and "Pivot," who checked Taylor on the facts.
"First of all, she was there to warn [Ukraine President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy of the upcoming invasion. So that's oddly inaccurate," she said.
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"It's not oddly inaccurate," Taylor shot back. "That's absolutely not true."
"It is," insisted Swisher.
"She was over there for a show of force to deter Putin from invading," said Taylor. "That's why she was there."
Swisher continued pushing back.
"She was over there also because people didn't believe that they were going to invade," she said. "They had intelligence, including in the Woodward book, about this."
Secondly, Swisher, added, "He's a private citizen."
"He shouldn't be talking to Vladimir Putin," she said. "That's really pretty much just basic stuff. He also shouldn't really be meeting with other world leaders. We have a government."
When Taylor replied that such meetings happen all the time, Swisher said she understands that, but called this a "unique situation."
Phillip noted that Russia is an adversary, and questioned fellow Republican panelist Scott Jennings if that changes the "political calculus" — particularly in the middle of a war.
"I don't love the optics of him talking to Putin just to be honest," said Jennings,
He softened his stance, however, and said it was unsurprising that any former president would converse with other world leaders with whom they had a relationship.
Watch the clip below or at this link.