Cuomo and Conway 1.30 01
Cuomo grills Conway on Russian sanctions
02:14 - Source: CNN
Washington CNN  — 

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway defended on Tuesday the Trump administration’s decision not to impose new sanctions against companies and foreign countries that do business with Russia.

“He’s not soft on Russia,” Conway said in an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day.”

“This President has been very tough about energy, about ISIS, and we’re trying to work together with Russia on big issues of the day like a denuclearized North Korea, which is everybody’s business,” she said.

The Trump administration declined Monday to impose new sanctions against Russian business and political figures after being required to consider doing so by an act passed by Congress last summer.

“(Trump) won’t punish them for what they did in the election? Is that what he’s saying?” Cuomo asked.

“What did they do in the election?” Conway said.

“They interfered in this election to try and disrupt our democracy and they’re doing it right now,” Cuomo replied.

“And did they? Do you think that’s why he won and why the person whose name I never mention on TV anymore lost?” Conway said, referring to 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

CNN’s Nicole Gaouette and Donna Borak contributed to this report.