Sen. Rob Portman Robert (Rob) Jones PortmanRomney undecided on authorizing subpoenas for GOP Obama-era probes Congress needs to prioritize government digital service delivery House passes B bill to boost Postal Service MORE (R-Ohio) on Thursday called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsTrump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status White House officials voted by show of hands on 2018 family separations: report MORE to recuse himself from any Russia probe his agency conducts.

Portman joined a growing chorus of Republicans calling on Sessions to recuse himself in the wake of revelations that he spoke twice with Russia’s U.S. ambassador in 2016 before testifying under oath that he did not have communications with the Russians.

“Jeff Sessions is a former colleague and a friend, but I think it would be best for him and for the country to recuse himself from the DOJ Russia probe,” Portman said in a Thursday statement.

Sessions said early Thursday morning that he’d be willing to recuse himself from any Russia-related probes if it’s “appropriate.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Reports emerged late Wednesday that Sessions spoke twice with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 election, then testified to the Senate during his confirmation hearings that he “did not have communications with the Russians.”

Sessions clarified in an NBC News interview Thursday morning that he did not discuss the presidential campaign with any Russian officials.

“Well, I have not met with any Russians at any time to discuss any political campaigns,” Sessions said in the interview. "Those remarks are unbelievable to me and are false. I don’t have anything else to say about that.”

House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz Jason ChaffetzThe myth of the conservative bestseller Elijah Cummings, Democratic chairman and powerful Trump critic, dies at 68 House Oversight panel demands DeVos turn over personal email records MORE (R-Utah) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) are among the Republicans calling on Sessions to recuse himself.

Many Democrats are calling on Sessions to recuse himself as well, and calls are growing for him to resign, led by Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerOvernight Health Care: Schumer calls for Azar to resign over 'chaos' in coronavirus response CNBC's Cramer calls Pelosi 'crazy Nancy' in live interview Schumer calls for Azar to resign over 'chaos' in coronavirus response MORE (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).