Pete Buttigieg responds to Trump's comments on foreign election support: "Call the FBI"

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg said the candidates should immediately alert the FBI if they accept electoral support from foreign actors. "Just call the FBI – it is not difficult – it is not complicated," said Buttigieg, host of "Face the Nation," Margaret Brennan, in an interview.

Buttigieg condemned President Trump for stating in an interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News that he accept electoral assistance foreign countries and would not necessarily report it to the FBI. Mr. Trump said that accepting foreign aid was "not an interference" and that the FBI director, Christopher Wray, was "wrong" to say that the candidates had to contact his office immediately. agency in such cases.

Buttigieg did not agree with Mr. Trump, saying that the acceptance of foreign aid was indeed a "foreign interference in US policy".

"And besides, it's not hypothetical, it's not theoretical," Buttigieg said, citing the conclusion of the US intelligence service and special adviser Robert Mueller that Russia's 39; was ingested in the 2016 presidential election in order to help Mr. Trump.

"We were attacked by a hostile foreign power who decided that they could harm America, destabilize America by intervening in elections to help it win. Did and he did, and now America is destabilized, "continued Buttigieg. "So it's not an academic exercise, it's something that has happened and will probably happen again."

Mr. Buttigieg also attempted to respond to Mr. Trump's repeated promise that his administration would put "America first", saying that a president who gave priority to the American people does not have the "right to do so". would not accept foreign electoral aid.

"If you believe that we must give priority to this country, how could you ever talk about allowing a potentially hostile foreign power to interfere in the most sacred thing of our civic tradition in America, who are our elections? " Buttigieg asked.

He also mentioned the declaration The President of the Federal Electoral Commission, Ellen Weintraub, reminded the public on Thursday that accepting help from a foreign power was a crime.

"Allow me to make 100% clear to the American public and to any person applying for public office: it is illegal for anyone to solicit, accept or receive anything of value. a foreign national in the context of an American election, "Weintraub said in her statement, expressing the disbelief that she had raised this topic at all.

Buttigieg mentioned how Weintraub "felt shocked that she had to remind everyone of this".

"But if you think there's a foreign effort to manipulate an American election and you're an American who cares about America, call the FBI," he said.