Former Vice President Mike Pence attempted to decode Donald Trump's comments on the Russia sanctions bill crafted by the Senate following the president's falling out with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine.
CNN's Kate Bolduan introduced the topic by saying that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) won't act on the bill crafted by Sen. Lindsey Graham and other Senate hawks "unless Trump signs off," adding "Trump is not a 'yes' yet."
"My hope is the president will make it clear that he wants that bill on his desk," Pence began as Bolduan interjected, "He keeps saying, 'yes, maybe, no, I don't need it yet.' He suggested to advisers that it won't deter —"
"Kate, I spoke Trump fluently for four years," Pence offered, leading Bolduan to remark, "So, decipher, please!"
"So, when I saw him the other day and he said he's 'strongly looking at it,' I know what that means," Pence said. "My hope is that the president will understand the value of the Senate acting, and they can put that on his desk, and it has broad waiver authority in it."
According to Politico, the White House has pushed back on the bill, claiming it didn't give the president "sole authority" on Russia and would allow Congress to "micromanage" the president on foreign policy.
A senior White House official told Politico, "The bill needs a waiver authority that is complete.”
Pence continued, "I literally think that the very presence of those new sanctions, especially the secondary sanctions that are included, that are that essentially are going to go against countries that are subsidizing that war —"
"Then, why pump the brakes?" Baldoun challenged Pence.
"Well, I think and hope the president will see the value of Vladimir Putin seeing those sanctions on his desk available for a signature."
