We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA

Trump tweeted a photo of Senator Schumer, the Senate minority leader, and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 2003 opening of a Russian company’s new gas station in New York. He added, “We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!”

According to news reports from the time, Schumer and Putin both attended the opening of the first Lukoil gas station in the United States in September 2003. Lukoil is one of Russia’s largest oil companies.


Schumer and Putin can be seen in the photo smiling and eating snacks.

The photo has been making the rounds on conservative websites in the wake of calls for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign or recuse himself from investigations into Russia’s interference in the 2016 campaign. Those calls came after the Washington Post reported that Sessions did not disclose contacts with a Russian official during his confirmation hearing.

Schumer, who was among those who called for Sessions’ resignation, tweeted Friday that his meeting with Putin was “in full view of press & public” and said he’d be willing to discuss his dealings under oath.

Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team? https://t.co/yXgw3U8tmQ — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017

Later Friday, Trump tweeted about House minority leader Nancy Pelosi’s 2010 meeting with the Russian ambassador.

I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it. https://t.co/qCDljfF3wN — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

The 4:02 p.m. tweet was his third attempt, having misspelled the word “hereby” twice in previous tweets.

In a tweet, Pelosi dismissed Trump’s call for an investigation.

.@realDonaldTrump doesn't know difference between official mtg photographed by press & closed secret mtg his AG lied about under oath. https://t.co/YRFCuJkjLA — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 3, 2017

The Republican president said yesterday he had “total” confidence in Sessions. Sessions later recused himself from matters related to the Trump campaign during an afternoon press conference.

Trump, emerging from a fairly quiet period on Twitter, defended Sessions and blasted the Democrats Thursday night afer Sessions recused himself. He said Democrats had “lost their grip on reality” and were engaged in a “witch hunt.”


Christina Prignano can be reached at christina.prignano@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @cprignano.