Sen. Jeff Merkley Jeffrey (Jeff) Alan MerkleyThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Sunday shows - Trump team defends coronavirus response Oregon senator says Trump's blame on 'forest management' for wildfires is 'just a big and devastating lie' MORE (D-Ore.) said Monday that it is “likely” the Russian government has something on 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.

“It’s the standard strategy of Russia when people visit there who are important to try to get compromising information on them to set them up with hookers to tape everything that goes on in their rooms,” the Oregon Democrat said during an interview BuzzFeed News published Monday. “So, it’s likely that they have that.

.@BuzzFeedBen: "Do you think Vladimir Putin has anything on him?"@SenJeffMerkley: "I think it's likely."



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Smith: "Your view is that the pee tape is real?"



Merkley: "Something close to that. Something close to that."



From @AM2DM: pic.twitter.com/KX0LjRy04s — Tom Namako (@TomNamako) July 16, 2018

“There are many members of Trump’s team that have different types of communications with Russia that are probably uncomfortable and, we may find out from Mueller, far beyond uncomfortable,” Merkley said, referencing 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 investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion between Moscow and Trump's campaign.

Merkley was also asked about his view that the so-called pee tape involving Trump was real.

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"Something close to that. Something close to that,” the senator said in reference to an allegation that first surfaced in the unverified dossier created by former British intelligence operative Christopher Steele, claiming Trump ordered two prostitutes to urinate on a bed once used by the Obamas at the Moscow Ritz-Carlton.

Merkley went on to say that the president “clearly wants to convey that there is absolutely nothing there,” but the Democratic senator asked, “If there is absolutely nothing there, why are so many people under indictment?”

The senator’s remarks follow Mueller's indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officials for their alleged role in hacking the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

Many Democratic lawmakers voiced opposition to Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday following Friday's indictments. The president said heading into the summit that “getting along with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing.”