That comment “was laced with sarcasm,” Mike Pence told Laura Ingraham Thursday morning. | AP Photo Pence: Trump’s Russia comment ‘laced with sarcasm’

Mike Pence is pushing the campaign line that Donald Trump’s comments inviting Russian hackers to find Hillary Clinton’s missing emails were “sarcastic,” and is blaming the media for the flare up.

“I will tell you this, Russia, if you're listening I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” Trump said during a press conference Wednesday.


That comment “was laced with sarcasm,” Pence told Laura Ingraham Thursday morning. “This is all about changing the focus and attention,” Trump's running mate added.

"What's remarkable to me is once again the national media takes what was clearly a sarcastic comment made by Donald Trump after he and I since condemned any potential activity by Russia or any other foreign power,” Pence said.

The media, Pence went on to say, “suggested that he was encouraging that activity, all the while ignoring the extraordinary revelations in these emails.”

Trump’s comments, which drew wide condemnation from both Democrats and Republicans, have threatened to derail Trump’s momentum coming out of the convention.

While the situation was unfolding, the campaign released a Pence statement soon after the press conference in which Pence promised “serious consequences” if Russia was attempting to influence the election, but a Pence aide said the statement was drafted before Trump made his comments and does not represent any difference with the candidate.