CNN’s Jim Sciutto Presses Senator Barrasso On Whether Trump Has the Power To Do ‘Anything to Get Reelected’

Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) dodged questioning Thursday on CNN’s Newsroom With Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto on whether the senator from Wyoming endorses the idea that President Donald Trump can do “anything” to get re-elected if he views that goal as being in the”national interest.”

Sciutto began the segment by asking Barrasso, “you were there on the Senate floor and heard the president’s personal lawyer argue on the Senate floor if the president deems his election in the national interest, he can, therefore, do anything to get re-elected. Do you accept that argument?”

Barrasso responded by dodging the question and citing that “that’s not what we’re being asked to judge this president on. There are two articles of impeachment,” while not giving the direct answer, Sciutto was seeking.

Sciutto rephrased the question, “what’s your reaction to that extremely expansive definition of presidential power?”

Barrasso then responded, not to the question at hand with a yes or no, but stated “what I’m saying is presidents have specific powers under the Constitution,” adding that “even if the case is proven by the House, it still doesn’t rise to the level of impeachment.”

For the third time, Sciutto asked a similar question while blasting the senator for not responding directly to his questioning, stating, “just to be clear because we’ve given you two opportunities now.”

Then the CNN host asked the question in yet again a different way, “you don’t want to say yes or no on whether the president if he deems re-election in the national interest, can do anything he deems necessary to get elected?”

“Every president believes his or her election is in the national interest,” adding “so every — every president thinks his or her re-election is the most important thing in the national interest,” Barrasso responded.

“Not the question I asked, but fair,” Sciutto concluded.

Watch above, via CNN.