Erik Prince, founder of the private security firm once known as Blackwater, is asserting that a meeting he had with an associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin was "incidental," denying the existence of any back-channel communications with Russia.

Prince, who is the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Elizabeth (Betsy) Dee DeVosSpecial counsel investigating DeVos for potential Hatch Act violation: report NEA president says Azar and DeVos should resign over school reopening guidance The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - You might want to download TikTok now MORE, told NBC's Andrea Mitchell that he has had "no follow-up with them since then," referring to a meeting in January 2017 that took place days before then-president-elect Trump was sworn into office, and involved a Russian banker and United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It was an incidental meeting," he said.

Prince has repeatedly denied that the meeting took part on behalf of the Trump administration or the U.S., but is being investigated by 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's office over the meeting. Prince, in June, said he cooperated with Mueller's probe into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Erik Prince to @mitchellreports on being questioned in the Mueller investigation over the Seychelles meeting: “It was an incidental meeting. I had no follow-up with them since then.” pic.twitter.com/N5KkeIlWzL — MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 17, 2018

Prince was never an official member of the Trump campaign or eventual administration, but has informally advised Trump for years and was a prominent supporter during the 2016 election.

President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE is reportedly considering a proposal from Prince to privatize the U.S. war in Afghanistan, replacing troops with military contractors. Prince told NBC that he will soon launch a media campaign to win support for his plan.

Blackwater, now known as Academi, has come under fire for its role in the Iraq War. Employees of the company were sentenced to prison in 2015 for a violent 2007 episode that resulted in the deaths of 14 unarmed Iraqi citizens.