Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (R-S.C.) on Sunday said it is “fake news” to say that Russia did not meddle in the 2016 presidential election.

“The idea that Russia did not meddle in our election is fake news,” Graham said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“They did meddle in our election and they're doing it again in 2018,” he added.

ADVERTISEMENT

President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE said on Friday that he will press Russian President Vladimir Putin on Moscow's meddling during their meeting later this month.

“We don’t want anyone tampering with elections," Trump said, promising Russia’s interference in U.S. elections will be on the summit’s agenda.

Trump has previously denied that Russia influenced the 2016 election, despite an assessment from U.S. intelligence agencies confirming some degree of interference.

As recently as Thursday, Trump tweeted that Moscow says it did not interfere.

“Russia continues to say they had nothing to do with Meddling in our Election!" Trump tweeted. "Where is the DNC Server, and why didn’t Shady James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE and the now disgraced FBI agents take and closely examine it? Why isn’t Hillary/Russia being looked at? So many questions, so much corruption!"

Trump and Putin are slated to meet July 16 in Helsinki, at the end of Trump's scheduled trip to Europe to attend a summit with NATO allies and stop in the United Kingdom.

Critics say Trump's summit with Putin is ill-advised, considering special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE is currently conducting an investigation into Russia’s interference in the election.

U.S. national security adviser John Bolton on Wednesday argued that such criticism is “complete nonsense.”

"The president determined that, despite the political noise in the U.S., direct communication between him and President Putin was in the interest of the United States, in the interest of Russia, and in the interest of peace and security around the world,” Bolton said.

On “Meet the Press,” Graham said he supports the meeting but hopes Trump will come out strongly against Russia’s actions.

“I would urge President Trump work with Russia in Syria,” Graham said. “We have to deal with Russia. They're a power throughout the world. But let Putin know that what he did in the past is unacceptable.”

“Most importantly, if you continue to undermine our democracy and others, you're going to pay a heavy price,” Graham added. “If Putin doesn't understand that after this summit, then we've made, then we’ve made a big mistake.”