(CNN) White House officials privately acknowledge that President Donald Trump has handled the questions about foreign interference in American elections poorly in the days since his interview with ABC News aired, multiple sources told CNN on Friday.

A source close to the White House said there was frustration inside the White House and among the President's political advisers with press secretary Sarah Sanders' handling of the ABC interview prior to the announcement of her departure.

"The clips from the last few days have been tough," the adviser said.

In an interview with ABC that aired Wednesday evening, Trump said he would accept dirt on political rivals from foreign governments. The nonchalant answer may not have been surprising, but was nonetheless a stark admission from the President given Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 election and frequent warnings about foreign intervention in the 2020 contest.

When asked by ABC if he would report an offer of damaging information on a political rival to the FBI, Trump said, "I think I'd want to hear it."

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