Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu said Tuesday that the White House’s efforts to have a back-channel relationship with Russia could’ve been over suspected leaks in the intelligence community.

“Let’s speculate on why it might’ve happened. There might have been concern that the intelligence community was feeding Obama the information that he probably shouldn’t have had,” Mr. Sununu said on CNN. “If that was a concern, and I doubt it was, if that was a concern, they were pretty smart to have those feelings weren’t they?”

He was reacting to White House senior adviser Jared Kushner’s reported efforts to create a back-channel relationship with Russian officials, which the FBI is looking into as part of its investigation into possible Russian connections with the Trump campaign.

Mr. Sununu said that those efforts are completely normal for an incoming administration.

“In the 10 weeks between an election and an inauguration, there is a lot discussion going on between all members or potential members of an administration with all kinds of folks,” he said.

He accused CNN of making “back channel” a negative term.

“It is not unusual. You guys have made back channel a derogatory term. Back channel is a positive asset. Nixon could not have done China without a back channel,” Mr. Sununu said.

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