Former CIA Director John Brennan John Owen BrennanJournalism or partisanship? The media's mistakes of 2016 continue in 2020 Comey on Clinton tweet: 'I regret only being involved in the 2016 election' Ex-CIA Director Brennan questioned for 8 hours in Durham review of Russia probe MORE on Wednesday suggested the Russians could have “something on” President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE that would explain his warming relations to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I’m saying that perhaps the Russians have something and that’s why Mr. Trump is concerned,” Brennan told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “Mr. Trump knows better than any one of us whether or not the Russians may have something on him.”

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Brennan helmed the CIA during former President Obama’s second term and when the intelligence community last year released a declassified report that said Putin called for an influence campaign aimed at helping Trump become president.

Trump received criticism on Tuesday for reportedly congratulating Putin on his reelection, which comes as multiple congressional committees and the special counsel investigate Russia’s interference in the U.S. presidential election and any potential ties between Trump campaign staff members and Moscow.

Obama also congratulated Putin on his election victory in 2012.

But Brennan during his television appearance argued it’s difficult to “explain” Trump’s actions when it comes to Putin.

“So I think it’s very difficult to try to explain his behavior and why he has taken this position vis-à-vis Vladimir Putin,” Brennan said. “And so one can again, speculate, that maybe there’s something there.”