Cory Gardner Asks State Dept to Consider Russia as State Terror Sponsor

One Republican lawmaker is calling on the State Department to look into the possibility of designating Russia a state sponsor of terrorism.

"I believe the State Department should make a determination of whether or not Russia is, in fact, a state sponsor of terror," Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., said on the Fox News "Outnumbered Overtime" program Tuesday afternoon.

Gardner tried to make his case by rattling off some of Russia's aggressive actions in recent years, including its military actions in Georgia and Ukraine and the recent nerve agent attack on a former Russian double agent and his daughter in England.

Gardner also referenced Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Russian President "Vladimir Putin understands strength and he capitalizes on weakness," Gardner said. "What the United States needs to do right now is show strength. That's why I believe the State Department, within 90 days, [through] legislation that I'm going to be pursuing ought to determine whether or not Russia should be identified, labeled as a state sponsor of terror."

Gardner noted that he has not spoken with President Donald Trump about the matter but looks forward to doing so.

The U.S. has placed sanctions on Russia and several Russian nationals in recent years over its meddling in the 2016 election. The Trump administration, however, announced this week it will not further sanction the country in the wake of a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria unless it conducts another provocation.

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