Sen. Richard Burr Richard Mauze BurrRep. Mark Walker says he's been contacted about Liberty University vacancy Overnight Defense: Trump rejects major cut to military health care | Senate report says Trump campaign's Russia contacts posed 'grave' threat Senate report describes closer ties between 2016 Trump campaign, Russia MORE (R-N.C.) defended 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 on Thursday amid reports that he spoke with the Russian ambassador during the presidential campaign.

"I trust Jeff Sessions," Burr told reporters when asked about calls for the former GOP senator to recuse himself from an investigation into potential contacts between Trump officials and Moscow.

Asked if he believed Sessions should recuse himself, Burr said, "That's up to Jeff Sessions."

Sessions has come under fire after a Washington Post report Wednesday that said the former Alabama Republican senator spoke with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the presidential campaign, then denied any meetings under oath during his confirmation hearing.

Sessions opened the door on Thursday morning to recusing himself, telling NBC that he would do so "whenever it's ;appropriate."

Burr, in a separate statement, appeared to reference Sessions's comments, saying Sessions would know if, or when, he needs to step back from the probe.

“The attorney general has said he would recuse himself when needed, and I trust him to make what he feels is the appropriate decision as to his involvement in any investigation into Russian active measures and the 2016 election," he said.

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Burr's support for the attorney general comes as top Democrats, and some Republicans, are calling on Sessions to recuse himself from any investigation.

Though 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) said Thursday that he believed Sessions should recuse himself, many of his GOP colleagues either declined to comment on Thursday or offered their support for the former senator.

Sen. Roy Blunt Roy Dean BluntGOP senators say coronavirus deal dead until after election Pessimism grows as hopes fade for coronavirus deal CDC says asymptomatic people don't need testing, draws criticism from experts MORE (R-Mo.), a member of the Intelligence Committee and GOP leadership, said in a statement that it would be "very normal for Sessions, as a senator, to have talked to the Russian ambassador without discussing the election."

Sen. Bob Corker Robert (Bob) Phillips CorkerHas Congress captured Russia policy? Tennessee primary battle turns nasty for Republicans Cheney clashes with Trump MORE (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, declined to comment directly on the reports but added: "I can't imagine Jeff Sessions ever knowingly not telling the truth."

The former GOP Alabama senator reportedly spoke with Kislyak during a July Heritage Foundation event at the Republican National Convention attended by about 50 ambassadors.

Sessions also spoke with Kislyak via phone in September, according to a spokeswoman for the attorney general.

The conversation took place during a time when U.S. intelligence officials assert that Russia was interfering in the 2016 race through a hacking and influence campaign intended to help sway the election for President Trump.

Sessions did not disclose those conversations during his confirmation hearings for attorney general, testifying under oath that he “did not have communications with the Russians."

The Senate Intelligence Committee is also running its own probe into Russia's meddling in the U.S. presidential election and any ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

Burr predicted on Thursday that the investigation wouldn't be affected by Wednesday's news.

"I think the committee should do its job," he told reporters. "That's what we're going to do."