Spicer: Trump ‘welcomes’ investigation into Russian business dealings

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday that President Donald Trump “welcomes” any investigation into whether he's had business ties with Russia.

“He's fine with that,” Spicer said. “He has no business in Russia. He has no connections to Russia so he welcomes that.”


Earlier Tuesday, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told CNN he wants to look into whether Trump has business interests in Russia.

Graham said former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s testimony Monday piqued his interest. Clapper said that he did know of any business dealings with the Trump Organization that gave him concern but added he didn’t know what the FBI was investigating and didn’t want to overstep. The FBI is probing whether Trump campaign aides colluded with Russian officials.

"We'll go where the facts take us,” Graham said. “I want to know about what Clapper said, and I want to know more about Trump's business dealings.”

Spicer said the White House had already instructed a “leading law firm” in Washington to send Graham a certified letter that the president doesn’t have business connections to Russia.

“That should be a really easy look,” Spicer said.