Lindsey Graham says he'll ask the FBI whether it launched a counterintelligence probe on Trump

The New York Times reported Friday that the FBI opened an investigation into whether President Trump was secretly acting in Russian interests against the United States — and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is on the case. Graham said on Fox News Sunday he plans to ask FBI Director Christopher Wray about the report.

"I for one don't trust what I read in The New York Times," Graham told host Chris Wallace. "Having said all that, I'm going to ask the FBI director, 'Was there a counterintelligence investigation opened up regarding the president as being a potential agent of the Russians?'"

"I find it astonishing, and, to me, it tells me a lot about the people running the FBI," Graham continued. "So, if this really did happen, Congress needs to know about it, and what I want to do is make sure — how could the FBI do that? What kind of checks and balances are there?"

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Graham also discussed the partial government shutdown, urging Trump to accept a short-term funding resolution to re-open closed federal agencies while border wall negotiations continue. However, the senator also said he would support Trump bypassing Congress, Graham's own branch of government, with an emergency declaration to fund wall construction.

Watch the full interview here.