Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., said his initial misgivings about President Donald Trump's claim he could reach out to Russian President Vladimir Putin have been quelled now that he has seen Trump is coming from a position of strength.
"President Trump is dealing right now, I believe, from a position of more strength than President Obama," King told Fox News' "The Story" on Tuesday. "This can work, but it will be tough."
Trump was criticized during the transition period for a seemingly cozy relationship with Putin — especially in light of a CIA probe into Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election. But King said Putin now has seen Trump willing to launch missiles into Syria and his apparent success in getting China to help deal with the threat from North Korea.
Trump is showing "firmness," King said, "which I think is something that Putin understands. Strong, tough talk and actions."
If Russia can be brought along to help on North Korea as well, "that will be a trifecta," he said.
Trump and Putin spoke by phone Tuesday and, according to the White House, reached an agreement on establishing "safe zones" in Syria with Russia sending in more "peacekeeper" troops.
King said he still has concerns about Russia having troops in Syria.
"I don't like the idea of Russia being a permanent power in the Middle East," he told host Martha McCallum.
That said, King said he did not like 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton saying in an interview Tuesday that though she backed Trump's airstrikes on Syria, she wonders whether any "backroom deals" took place between the United States and Russia.
"That is totally inappropriate to suggest that somehow there is a backroom deal, as if there was something nefarious," King said.
There are always diplomatic moves that go along with military moves, he said, but added, that as a former secretary of state, Clinton should realize that the way she worded her comment was "an innuendo."
"Unless she has something to back it up, it is the wrong thing to say," he said.
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