Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign compared primary rival Bernie Sanders to President Trump for his criticism of news reports that Russia hopes to boost Sanders's presidential campaign.

"He suggested the Washington Post was trying to hurt his campaign by reporting on what the Russians were doing," said top aide for the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor's presidential campaign Hari Sevugan in an email to supporters on Saturday. "It’s telling of the kind of politics we’re in for in Bernie’s vision of the future: More conspiracy theories, more attacks undermining the free press when they write something you don’t like, more attacks on anyone who doesn’t agree with you 100% of the time."

"There’s nothing progressive about attacking a free press or fueling conspiracy theories. In fact, it’s undemocratic," Sevugan said. "We can’t afford four more years of the same kind of toxic politics, whether it’s coming from Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders."

The Washington Post reported Friday that the Vermont senator's presidential campaign was briefed on Russian efforts to assist his presidential bid, but it was not clear how.

Sanders, 78, suggested that the news broke the day before Nevada's Democratic caucuses in order to harm his campaign.

“I’ll let you guess about one day before the, the Nevada caucus. Why do you think it came out?" Sanders told reporters on Friday. When informed of the outlet that reported it, he said, “It was the Washington Post? Good friends.”

In a statement on Friday, Sanders said that he stands "firmly against their efforts, and any other foreign power that wants to interfere in our election."