The top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee says that President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE feels threatened by the federal probe into his campaign's ties to Russia, given what he says is mounting evidence of collusion.

“The president feels threatened,” Rep. Adam Smith David (Adam) Adam SmithWhen 'Buy American' and common sense collide Overnight Defense: Marine Corps brushes off criticism of Marines' appearance in GOP convention video | US troops injured in collision with Russian vehicle in Syria | Dems ask for probe of Vindman retaliation allegations Democrats press Pentagon watchdog to probe allegations of retaliation against Vindman brothers MORE (D-Wash.) said in an interview. “It’s undermining the legitimacy of President Trump’s election if you say the Russians interfered."

"This president is a little sensitive, shall we say, when it comes to people questioning his greatness," Smith added in an interview for The Hill's Power Politics podcast airing Saturday.

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The result, he said, is that Trump “has gone softer on Russia” and Moscow is not held to account.

Smith claimed that instead of concentrating on Russia’s attraction to “kleptocracy and autocratic dictatorships,” Trump and some allies in Congress have devised harmful narratives at home.

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Smith said he believes there is ample evidence that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, apparently to boost Trump.

“There’s also a lot of evidence of collusion, despite what the president and everyone else says,” Smith said.

He noted he was speaking about reported accounts of evidence, not the pending conclusions from an ongoing special counsel investigation.

Smith, a member of the Armed Services Committee since arriving in Congress in 1997, said Moscow actively seeks to undermine democracy and capitalism.

“And we have a president who won’t acknowledge it," he said.

Speaking two days before Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee released a controversial, four-page memo critical of FBI surveillance tied to Russia’s actions in 2016, Smith said Trump’s reaction has seemed transparent.

“It’s possible he’s just that stupid,” he added. “I don’t think it’s the case.”

Smith rebuked House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes Devin Gerald NunesSunday shows preview: With less than two months to go, race for the White House heats up Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington Sunday shows preview: White House, congressional Democrats unable to breach stalemate over coronavirus relief MORE (R-Calif.) and Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanAt indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates Peterson faces fight of his career in deep-red Minnesota district MORE (R-Wis.) for backing Trump, accusing some GOP colleagues of “trying to trash and undermine our entire FBI and Justice Department."

"They would rather leave the reputation of our country’s foremost criminal investigatory agency in the garbage can than admit what Russia did," he said.

The congressman said the president and his supporters do not take seriously Moscow’s threats to the “core values of our country” — threats he said are ongoing.

“They won’t criticize Russia, but they will destroy one of our most important institutions' reputation, all to try to throw up a smokescreen about what the special investigator, Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE, is trying to do,” Smith said.

Power Politics, hosted by The Hill’s Alexis Simendinger, airs Saturday mornings.