Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (R-S.C.) on Thursday offered and withdrew an amendment to the Pentagon spending bill aimed at 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’s apparent continued acceptance of Russia’s denials of election meddling.

“I read a tweet today. Guess from who,” Graham said during a Senate Appropriations Committee markup. “I’m all willing for him to meet with Russia, see if we can find common interests, but one thing I want to make crystal clear. ... When Putin says Russia did not interfere in our election, he is lying. When he says they won’t do it in the future, he is lying.”

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Earlier Thursday, Trump tweeted that Russia continues to deny it interfered in the 2016 presidential election and repeated his criticisms of former FBI director James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE and Trump's onetime Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonDemocratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida The Hill's Campaign Report: Presidential polls tighten weeks out from Election Day More than 50 Latino faith leaders endorse Biden MORE.

“Russia continues to say they had nothing to do with Meddling in our Election!” Trump wrote. “Where is the DNC Server, and why didn’t Shady James Comey and the now disgraced FBI agents take and closely examine it? Why isn’t Hillary/Russia being looked at? So many questions, so much corruption!”

Trump’s tweet came about an hour after the White House and Kremlin officially announced a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting is scheduled for July 16 in Helsinki, Finland.

The tweet cast doubt on reassurances from national security adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoTreasury sanctions individuals, groups tied to Russian malign influence activities Navalny released from hospital after suspected poisoning Overnight Defense: Pentagon redirects pandemic funding to defense contractors | US planning for full Afghanistan withdrawal by May | Anti-Trump GOP group puts ads in military papers MORE, who both said they were confident Trump would raise the issue of election meddling with Putin

Reading from his amendment Thursday, Graham cited the U.S. intelligence community’s unanimous conclusion that Russia meddled in the 2016 election and will attempt to interfere in the 2018 midterm and future elections.

“And the resolve clause urges President Trump to bring this matter up with Putin and to tell him that if he continues to do what he’s doing, he will do so at his own peril, and to challenge his denial,” Graham said.

Graham said he withdrew the amendment because it has jurisdiction in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but pledged to bring it back up on the Senate floor if that committee does not act on it.