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President Trump lashed out once more against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, tweeting on Friday a decade-old picture of the New York senator munching on a Krispy Kreme donut with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

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The tweet came as controversy around the White House’s connections to Russia continues to grow, with reports that Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Senior Adviser Jared Kushner met with the Kremlin’s American ambassador during the election campaign. Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser, was forced to resign after it was revealed he also had met with the envoy, and then concealed those encounters from Vice President Mike Pence.

Schumer responded to the tweet by defending his meeting with Putin, which occurred in 2003 when the first Lukoil gas station opened in New York State, and urged the administration to be transparent as investigations continue into Russian interference in the American president election.

Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in ‘03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team? https://t.co/yXgw3U8tmQ

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

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