In a report published Friday by the Wall Street Journal, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said that the U.S. ambassador to the E.U. told him that President Donald Trump was withholding military aid to Ukraine seeking a commitment that the Kyiv would probe matters related to U.S. elections.

“At that suggestion, I winced,” Johnson told the Journal. “My reaction was: Oh, God. I don’t want to see those two things combined.”

Naturally, this quote was the basis of Chuck Todd‘s first question to Johnson Sunday on Meet the Press. And naturally, Johnson didn’t seem to want to answer it.

After launching into a staunch defense of Trump, Johnson told Todd, “You’ve got [former CIA director] John Brennan on, you ought to ask director Brennan, what did Peter Strzok mean when he texted Lisa Page on December 15, 2016, quote—.”

Todd interjected.

“What does this have to do with Ukraine?” Todd said.

“It has everything to do with Ukraine,” Johnson said — then proceeded to give a minute-long answer which didn’t tie the Strzok-Page affair to Ukraine at all.

Todd had little patience for what he was hearing — audibly groaning several times during Johnson’s comments.

“I have no idea why Fox News propaganda stuff is popping up on here,” Todd said. “I have no idea.”

“Because this is underlining exactly why President Trump is upset, and why his supporters are upset, with the news media!” Johnson said.

“Senator Johnson, please!” Todd said. “Can we please answer the question that I asked you, instead of trying to make Donald Trump feel better here that you’re not criticizing him?! I’m just trying to ask a simple question of what made you wince?”

“Because I didn’t want those connected,” Johnson said of military aid and investigations. He added, “When I asked the president about that, he completely denied it. He adamantly denied it. He vehemently, angrily denied it. He said, ‘I’d never do that.'”

That was just the beginning of the 10-minute battle. Watch above, via NBC.

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