Former Trump aide George Papadopoulos says his testimony 'might have helped' demonstrate collusion with Russia
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"Do you think when the entire [Special Counsel Robert] Mueller investigation is finished that they will demonstrate that there was collusion between the Trump campaign, Trump advisers, and the Russians?" ABC's George Stephanopoulos asked former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos on This Week Sunday.
"You know what, George, I have no idea," Papadopoulos replied. "All I can say is that my testimony might have helped move something towards that, but I have no idea." He was sentenced Friday to 14 days in prison, a $9,500 fine, and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to making false statements to the FBI.
Stephanopoulos also pressed his interviewee on the question of allegiance, as Papadopoulos in court filings blamed his behavior on "a perhaps misguided loyalty to his master," President Trump. "I'm loyal to my country first and foremost, and that's actually why I decided to cooperate with the special counsel," Papadopoulos said, before adding his hope that Trump has "all the luck in the world."
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Watch the full interview below. Bonnie Kristian
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
