I confess to being confused.

President Donald Trump — who has claimed again and again that there was no collusion with Russia — now admits in an interview with ABC News that he would welcome an opportunity to collude with a foreign entity looking to help him win re-election.

Welcome it.

And you still support him?

ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos asked the president, hypothetically, if his campaign were approached by a foreign concern — like China or Russia — and told that they had information on a political opponent, what would he do: Accept the information or turn it over to the FBI?

Trump said, "I think maybe you do both."

There's nothing wrong with listening?

Really?

Trump added, "I think you might want to listen, there isn't anything wrong with listening. If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said] ‘we have information on your opponent' — oh, I think I'd want to hear it."

Actually, there IS something wrong with listening.

It’s a foreign power trying to influence an election.

Still, Trump said, “It’s not an interference, they have information — I think I’d take it. If I thought there was something wrong, I’d go maybe to the FBI — if I thought there was something wrong.”

He still doesn’t get it.

This is the essence of collusion

If a foreign power offers a candidate information that IS something wrong.

The offer is wrong. To accept it is even more wrong. It’s the very essence of collusion.

Stephanopoulos pointed out that FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress a candidate should contact the FBI immediately if contacted by a foreign entity.

Trump said, “The FBI director is wrong.”

Actually, no. He's not.

The excuse that Trump and his campaign (and his son) have used involving the meeting with the Russians in Trump Tower during his presidential campaign is that they didn’t understand that doing so was a problem. They said there couldn’t be collusion because they didn’t know it was wrong.

Now, they know. We all know.

Except Trump.

Or worse. He knows, and figures he can get away with it.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.