Republican and Democratic US senators said on Monday they were frustrated with the Trump administration's failure to provide more information about the murder of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi and vowed to push for a stronger response.

State and Treasury Department officials briefed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee behind closed doors on Monday evening. Lawmakers said they had learned nothing new.

"It was a complete waste of time. I knew more than they did," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump on many issues, told reporters.

Graham said it was time for more action, but did not elaborate.

Republican Senator Mitt Romney said: "It was not very helpful. And it was frustrating for a number of us to have made so little progress."

Bob Menendez, the committee's ranking Democrat, said new sanctions should be levied, possibly via legislation he co-sponsored with Graham.

"I think the Senate's going to have to act unless it is willing to accept the death of a U.S. resident journalist as an acceptable action because of a broader relationship. I don't accept that," Menendez said.

The Trump administration missed a February deadline to report to Congress on who was responsible for Khashoggi's death. In Saudi Arabia, 11 suspects have been indicted in the murder, and officials have rejected accusations that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing.

The report was required after lawmakers last year triggered a provision of the 2016 Global Magnitsky human rights act requiring that a Trump administration investigation.

"The Senate needs to act. Otherwise, Global Magnitsky will have no consequence and any administration, this one or another, can just ignore it," Menendez said.

Senator Jim Risch, the committee's Republican chairman, has not joined the criticism of the administration but has sought more information.

"This is a work in progress, and we will not let it go," Risch said in a written statement after the briefing. It said written material from the State Department was being reviewed.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Riyadh government, was killed at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. His death fuelled simmering discontent in Washington over Saudi Arabia's human rights record and heavy civilian casualties in Yemen's civil war, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Last month, the Democratic-led House of Representatives approved a rare war powers resolution that would end US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

The timing of a Senate vote is uncertain.

Republican and Democratic US senators said on Monday they were frustrated with the Trump administration's failure to provide more information about the murder of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi and vowed to push for a stronger response.

Republican and Democratic US senators said on Monday they were frustrated with the Trump administration's failure to provide more information about the murder of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi and vowed to push for a stronger response. State and Treasury Department officials briefed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee behind closed doors on Monday evening. Lawmakers said they had learned nothing new. "It was a complete waste of time. I knew more than they did," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump on many issues, told reporters. Graham said it was time for more action, but did not elaborate. Republican Senator Mitt Romney said: "It was not very helpful. And it was frustrating for a number of us to have made so little progress." Bob Menendez, the committee's ranking Democrat, said new sanctions should be levied, possibly via legislation he co-sponsored with Graham. "I think the Senate's going to have to act unless it is willing to accept the death of a U.S. resident journalist as an acceptable action because of a broader relationship. I don't accept that," Menendez said. The Trump administration missed a February deadline to report to Congress on who was responsible for Khashoggi's death. In Saudi Arabia, 11 suspects have been indicted in the murder, and officials have rejected accusations that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing. The report was required after lawmakers last year triggered a provision of the 2016 Global Magnitsky human rights act requiring that a Trump administration investigation. "The Senate needs to act. Otherwise, Global Magnitsky will have no consequence and any administration, this one or another, can just ignore it," Menendez said. Senator Jim Risch, the committee's Republican chairman, has not joined the criticism of the administration but has sought more information. "This is a work in progress, and we will not let it go," Risch said in a written statement after the briefing. It said written material from the State Department was being reviewed. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Riyadh government, was killed at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. His death fuelled simmering discontent in Washington over Saudi Arabia's human rights record and heavy civilian casualties in Yemen's civil war, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Last month, the Democratic-led House of Representatives approved a rare war powers resolution that would end US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The timing of a Senate vote is uncertain.

US senators pledge to push Trump for stronger response on Khashoggi's death

The US military is about to pull most troops out of Syria, seems set to slash its Afghanistan presence, and is engaged in a contentious mission on the border with Mexico.

Yet the job of overseeing these momentous policies remains vacant -- and President Donald Trump's interim pick is under fire from Republican lawmakers.

The role is being filled by Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who was the Pentagon's number two until Jim Mattis quit in December over Trump's Syria withdrawal decision.

Shanahan has made no secret that he'd like to be the next full-on "SecDef" -- as defence secretaries are known in the Pentagon -- but nearly two months into the job, his prospects were called into question this week amid reports of a spat with top US senators over Syria.

According to The Washington Post, influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham asked Shanahan at a Munich security summit if he had told European allies the US troop presence in Syria would be zero by April 30.

"Yes, that's been our direction," Shanahan reportedly said.

"That's the dumbest fucking idea I've ever heard," Graham responded.

Shanahan wanted to convince allies to maintain a troop presence in Syria after the US pulls out, but struggled to persuade other countries why they should risk their forces with America gone.

Graham went on to tell Shanahan that if Trump's Syria withdrawal policy endured, "I am now your adversary."

A US official told AFP that Graham's outrage was aimed more at Trump's Syria withdrawal plans than it was at Shanahan himself.

&nbsp;'Shared interests'&nbsp; 
Graham is well-known for his rhetorical flourishes and selective indignation, and Shanahan on Thursday insisted he thinks of him as an "ally."

"We have shared interests, he is a problem solver and I am very confident we will come together with solutions for Syria," Shanahan told Pentagon reporters.

Senator Jim Inhofe, another senior Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, has also expressed reservations about Shanahan, and his lack of foreign policy chops got him in hot water with the late Senator John McCain.

At Shanahan's confirmation hearing, a testy McCain said a lack of detail in some of his foreign policy answers was "almost insulting."

Despite all this, experts predict Shanahan, 58, will end up as Trump's nominee for defense secretary anyway.

"Last man standing," Loren Thompson, an expert at the Lexington Institute think tank in Virginia, told AFP.

"Once you eliminate all the other candidates, it's Shanahan by default."

Several high-profile names have been floated in Washington circles, including Graham and fellow Republican Senator Tom Cotton.

But why give up a powerful Senate seat when you've seen Trump chew up then spit out a string of top-level officials -- including former secretary of state Rex Tillerson, former attorney general Jeff Sessions and former White House chief of staff John Kelly?

Additionally, running for a senior government position requires appointees to cut business ties and divest themselves of any stocks that might be seen as causing a conflict.&nbsp;

For many an aspiring SecDef, it's simply not worth it.

"There are both personal and structural uncertainties associated with taking the Pentagon's top job," Thompson noted.

"The president's personality might lead him to lose his affinity" for a Pentagon chief, he added.

For now, Shanahan remains in Trump's good books in part because he is not like his predecessor Mattis, who often pushed back against the president.

While critics have said Shanahan may to be too much of a rubber stamp for Trump, being a faithful advocate for the president's policies will help him stay in the job.

And besides, the defense secretary's role is to implement a president's agenda.

"If you're part of a cabinet and you have views that you can't reconcile with the executive .... you have two choices," David Johnson, an analyst at the RAND Corporation, told AFP.

"Either you change your perspective or you resign -- and that's what Mattis did."

The US military is about to pull most troops out of Syria, seems set to slash its Afghanistan presence, and is engaged in a contentious mission on the border with Mexico.

The US military is about to pull most troops out of Syria, seems set to slash its Afghanistan presence, and is engaged in a contentious mission on the border with Mexico. Yet the job of overseeing these momentous policies remains vacant -- and President Donald Trump's interim pick is under fire from Republican lawmakers. The role is being filled by Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who was the Pentagon's number two until Jim Mattis quit in December over Trump's Syria withdrawal decision. Shanahan has made no secret that he'd like to be the next full-on "SecDef" -- as defence secretaries are known in the Pentagon -- but nearly two months into the job, his prospects were called into question this week amid reports of a spat with top US senators over Syria. According to The Washington Post, influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham asked Shanahan at a Munich security summit if he had told European allies the US troop presence in Syria would be zero by April 30. "Yes, that's been our direction," Shanahan reportedly said. "That's the dumbest fucking idea I've ever heard," Graham responded. Shanahan wanted to convince allies to maintain a troop presence in Syria after the US pulls out, but struggled to persuade other countries why they should risk their forces with America gone. Graham went on to tell Shanahan that if Trump's Syria withdrawal policy endured, "I am now your adversary." A US official told AFP that Graham's outrage was aimed more at Trump's Syria withdrawal plans than it was at Shanahan himself. 'Shared interests' Graham is well-known for his rhetorical flourishes and selective indignation, and Shanahan on Thursday insisted he thinks of him as an "ally." "We have shared interests, he is a problem solver and I am very confident we will come together with solutions for Syria," Shanahan told Pentagon reporters. Senator Jim Inhofe, another senior Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, has also expressed reservations about Shanahan, and his lack of foreign policy chops got him in hot water with the late Senator John McCain. At Shanahan's confirmation hearing, a testy McCain said a lack of detail in some of his foreign policy answers was "almost insulting." Despite all this, experts predict Shanahan, 58, will end up as Trump's nominee for defense secretary anyway. "Last man standing," Loren Thompson, an expert at the Lexington Institute think tank in Virginia, told AFP. "Once you eliminate all the other candidates, it's Shanahan by default." Several high-profile names have been floated in Washington circles, including Graham and fellow Republican Senator Tom Cotton. But why give up a powerful Senate seat when you've seen Trump chew up then spit out a string of top-level officials -- including former secretary of state Rex Tillerson, former attorney general Jeff Sessions and former White House chief of staff John Kelly? Additionally, running for a senior government position requires appointees to cut business ties and divest themselves of any stocks that might be seen as causing a conflict. For many an aspiring SecDef, it's simply not worth it. "There are both personal and structural uncertainties associated with taking the Pentagon's top job," Thompson noted. "The president's personality might lead him to lose his affinity" for a Pentagon chief, he added. For now, Shanahan remains in Trump's good books in part because he is not like his predecessor Mattis, who often pushed back against the president. While critics have said Shanahan may to be too much of a rubber stamp for Trump, being a faithful advocate for the president's policies will help him stay in the job. And besides, the defense secretary's role is to implement a president's agenda. "If you're part of a cabinet and you have views that you can't reconcile with the executive .... you have two choices," David Johnson, an analyst at the RAND Corporation, told AFP. "Either you change your perspective or you resign -- and that's what Mattis did."

How Shanahan may end up as permanent Pentagon chief

The US may offer Pakistan a free trade agreement (FTA) in return for its assistance in ending the Afghan war, a media report said on Thursday.&nbsp;

Dawn reported from Washington that official sources said that US Senator Lindsey Graham, who visited Islamabad this week, is believed to have discussed this idea with Pakistani leaders.

Graham first proposed offering an FTA to Pakistan, after a recent visit to Afghanistan.

"If we can go to Pakistan and put a free trade agreement on the table to get the Pakistanis to push the Taliban to the peace table, and you can end the Afghan war," he said.

Graham, a Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is considered President Trump's closest ally in Congress and the US media say that the president often uses him to float ideas that he wants debated publicly.

Before leaving for Islamabad last week, Senator Graham is believed to have said in close official circles that he would discuss his FTA proposal with Pakistani leaders and also explore the possibility of arranging the Pakistani prime minister's visit to Washington.

Graham indicated that this was not just his proposal as people in the White House also wanted to explore both possibilities.&nbsp;

The US has long complained Pakistan provides sanctuaries to the leadership of the Afghan Taliban. It has also long claimed Islamabad could do more to bring the Taliban to the table for negotiations.

The US may offer Pakistan a free trade agreement (FTA) in return for its assistance in ending the Afghan war, a media report said on Thursday. Dawn reported from Washington that official sources said that US Senator Lindsey Graham, who visited Islamabad this week, is believed to have discussed this idea with Pakistani leaders.

The US may offer Pakistan a free trade agreement (FTA) in return for its assistance in ending the Afghan war, a media report said on Thursday. Dawn reported from Washington that official sources said that US Senator Lindsey Graham, who visited Islamabad this week, is believed to have discussed this idea with Pakistani leaders. Graham first proposed offering an FTA to Pakistan, after a recent visit to Afghanistan. "If we can go to Pakistan and put a free trade agreement on the table to get the Pakistanis to push the Taliban to the peace table, and you can end the Afghan war," he said. Graham, a Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is considered President Trump's closest ally in Congress and the US media say that the president often uses him to float ideas that he wants debated publicly. Before leaving for Islamabad last week, Senator Graham is believed to have said in close official circles that he would discuss his FTA proposal with Pakistani leaders and also explore the possibility of arranging the Pakistani prime minister's visit to Washington. Graham indicated that this was not just his proposal as people in the White House also wanted to explore both possibilities. The US has long complained Pakistan provides sanctuaries to the leadership of the Afghan Taliban. It has also long claimed Islamabad could do more to bring the Taliban to the table for negotiations.

US may offer free trade agreement to Pakistan to assist in ending Afghan war: Report

Leading US Senator Lindsey Graham vowed Sunday to urge President Donald Trump to meet Imran Khan to boost Washington's Afghanistan peace efforts, calling the Pakistani prime minister an "agent of change".

The Republican -- an influential ally of Trump -- made the comments in Islamabad after meeting with the Pakistani leader, saying Khan was a "new partner" who could potentially help with a peace deal in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

"I'm going to urge him (Trump) to meet with the prime minister as soon as practical," Graham told reporters, saying he believed Khan and Trump would "hit if off" because they have "similar personalities".&nbsp;

"Prime Minister Khan is the agent of change that I've been looking for," he added.&nbsp;

Ties between Washington and Islamabad have soured recently, with US officials repeatedly accusing Pakistan of turning a blind eye to or even collaborating with the Afghan Taliban, which launch attacks in Afghanistan from alleged havens along the border between the two countries.

Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Pakistan's alleged duplicity, saying late last year that Islamabad does not do "a damn thing" for the US.

Khan has been equally critical of Trump, saying before 2018's election in Pakistan that a potential meeting with the US president would be a "bitter pill" to swallow.

The US lawmaker's trip to Pakistan comes as American officials have held several rounds of talks with Taliban representatives.

Graham said a meeting between the two leaders was vital to carve out a potential deal in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

"They actually need to meet and come up with a agenda that will push a resolution to the war in Afghanistan," the senator added.&nbsp;

Graham -- once a potent critic of Trump -- has transformed in recent months into an ardent defender and influential ally of the president.&nbsp;

The senator's arrival also overlapped with an ongoing trip by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been shuttling around the region for months to build support for the peace initiative.&nbsp;

Khalilzad was in Kabul last week and then flew to Pakistan were he also met with the prime minister Friday as news reports in Pakistan suggested Islamabad was open to hosting the next round of talks with the insurgents.

The Taliban, however, have threatened to suspend the fledgling peace efforts, accusing Washington of changing the agenda of the talks and "unilaterally" adding new subjects.

Graham's trip also comes after US officials announced in December that Trump intends to withdraw as many as half of the 14,000 US troops deployed in Afghanistan.

The meetings are the latest in a flurry of diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing the Taliban to the table for negotiations with the Afghan government on ending the conflict which began with the US invasion in 2001.

Leading US Senator Lindsey Graham vowed Sunday to urge President Donald Trump to meet Imran Khan to boost Washington's Afghanistan peace efforts, calling the Pakistani prime minister an "agent of change".

Leading US Senator Lindsey Graham vowed Sunday to urge President Donald Trump to meet Imran Khan to boost Washington's Afghanistan peace efforts, calling the Pakistani prime minister an "agent of change". The Republican -- an influential ally of Trump -- made the comments in Islamabad after meeting with the Pakistani leader, saying Khan was a "new partner" who could potentially help with a peace deal in Afghanistan. "I'm going to urge him (Trump) to meet with the prime minister as soon as practical," Graham told reporters, saying he believed Khan and Trump would "hit if off" because they have "similar personalities". "Prime Minister Khan is the agent of change that I've been looking for," he added. Ties between Washington and Islamabad have soured recently, with US officials repeatedly accusing Pakistan of turning a blind eye to or even collaborating with the Afghan Taliban, which launch attacks in Afghanistan from alleged havens along the border between the two countries. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Pakistan's alleged duplicity, saying late last year that Islamabad does not do "a damn thing" for the US. Khan has been equally critical of Trump, saying before 2018's election in Pakistan that a potential meeting with the US president would be a "bitter pill" to swallow. The US lawmaker's trip to Pakistan comes as American officials have held several rounds of talks with Taliban representatives. Graham said a meeting between the two leaders was vital to carve out a potential deal in Afghanistan. "They actually need to meet and come up with a agenda that will push a resolution to the war in Afghanistan," the senator added. Graham -- once a potent critic of Trump -- has transformed in recent months into an ardent defender and influential ally of the president. The senator's arrival also overlapped with an ongoing trip by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been shuttling around the region for months to build support for the peace initiative. Khalilzad was in Kabul last week and then flew to Pakistan were he also met with the prime minister Friday as news reports in Pakistan suggested Islamabad was open to hosting the next round of talks with the insurgents. The Taliban, however, have threatened to suspend the fledgling peace efforts, accusing Washington of changing the agenda of the talks and "unilaterally" adding new subjects. Graham's trip also comes after US officials announced in December that Trump intends to withdraw as many as half of the 14,000 US troops deployed in Afghanistan. The meetings are the latest in a flurry of diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing the Taliban to the table for negotiations with the Afghan government on ending the conflict which began with the US invasion in 2001.

US Senator Lindsey Graham urges meeting between Trump and Pak PM Imran Khan

A key US senator on Saturday said the Saudi crown prince was responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder and must be "dealt with", as he threatened new sanctions.

Republican Lindsey Graham, an influential ally of President Donald Trump, has previously said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the grisly killing of Washington Post contributor Khashoggi in October.

"I have concluded that the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States cannot move forward until MBS has been dealt with," Graham said, using the initials for the crown prince.

Graham also threatened new sanctions against those suspected of involvement in the murder during a press conference in Ankara.

Western countries including the US, France and Canada have placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi nationals as the case has tarnished Riyadh's international reputation.

"We will start sanctioning those involved in the killing of Mr Khashoggi. We'll make a definitive statement that MBS knew about it and is responsible for it and come up with a series of sanctions," the South Carolina lawmaker said.

Turkey says Khashoggi was killed by a team of 15 Saudis who strangled him during a visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain paperwork ahead of his upcoming marriage.&nbsp;

The remains of the insider turned critic of the kingdom have yet to be found, three months after this murder.

Riyadh has denied any claims of the crown prince's involvement but the case has caused strains with Washington.

Earlier this month the trial of 11 accused opened in Saudi Arabia with the attorney general seeking the death penalty for five defendants.

Graham acknowledged that he had been "enthusiastic" in his support of Prince Mohammed but accepted he had been "wrong".

"What has transpired in the last couple of years is unnerving to say the least," he said.

Graham said the sanctions were intended to send the message that the murder was "not what you do if you're an ally of the United States".

A key US senator on Saturday said the Saudi crown prince was responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder and must be "dealt with", as he threatened new sanctions. Republican Lindsey Graham, an influential ally of President Donald Trump, has previously said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the grisly killing of Washington Post contributor Khashoggi in October.

A key US senator on Saturday said the Saudi crown prince was responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder and must be "dealt with", as he threatened new sanctions. Republican Lindsey Graham, an influential ally of President Donald Trump, has previously said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the grisly killing of Washington Post contributor Khashoggi in October. "I have concluded that the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States cannot move forward until MBS has been dealt with," Graham said, using the initials for the crown prince. Graham also threatened new sanctions against those suspected of involvement in the murder during a press conference in Ankara. Western countries including the US, France and Canada have placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi nationals as the case has tarnished Riyadh's international reputation. "We will start sanctioning those involved in the killing of Mr Khashoggi. We'll make a definitive statement that MBS knew about it and is responsible for it and come up with a series of sanctions," the South Carolina lawmaker said. Turkey says Khashoggi was killed by a team of 15 Saudis who strangled him during a visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain paperwork ahead of his upcoming marriage. The remains of the insider turned critic of the kingdom have yet to be found, three months after this murder. Riyadh has denied any claims of the crown prince's involvement but the case has caused strains with Washington. Earlier this month the trial of 11 accused opened in Saudi Arabia with the attorney general seeking the death penalty for five defendants. Graham acknowledged that he had been "enthusiastic" in his support of Prince Mohammed but accepted he had been "wrong". "What has transpired in the last couple of years is unnerving to say the least," he said. Graham said the sanctions were intended to send the message that the murder was "not what you do if you're an ally of the United States".

US senator says Saudi crown prince must be 'dealt with' over Khashoggi murder

President Donald Trump's attorney general nominee, William Barr, has said he will allow Special Counsel Robert Mueller to finish the investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Wednesday.

Graham told reporters Barr assured him the investigation would continue. "I can assure you he has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-deputy-attorney-rod-rosenstein-overseeing-russia-probe-to-leave-reports-189256">a very high opinion of Mr&nbsp;Mueller</a> and he is committed to letting Mr Mueller finish his job," Graham said. 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump's attorney general nominee, William Barr, has said he will allow Special Counsel Robert Mueller to finish the investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump's attorney general nominee, William Barr, has said he will allow Special Counsel Robert Mueller to finish the investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Wednesday. Graham told reporters Barr assured him the investigation would continue. "I can assure you he has a very high opinion of Mr Mueller and he is committed to letting Mr Mueller finish his job," Graham said.

Trump's new attorney general will let Robert Mueller finish Russia probe: Senator

Republican Lindsey Graham said in an interview on Tuesday that 99 per cent of US senators believe Russia interfered in the US presidential elections, which led to Trump winning.

&ldquo;There are 100 United States senators. ... I would say that 99 percent of us believe that the Russians did this, and we&rsquo;re going to do something about it,&rdquo; Graham told CNN&rsquo;s Jim Sciutto in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. &quot;We&#39;re going to put sanctions together that hit Putin as an individual and his inner circle for interfering in our election, and they&#39;re doing it all over the world -- not just in the United States.&quot;

Graham, along with senator John McCain, appeared on &quot;The Situation Room&quot; in the Baltic nation Estonia.

The American news network CNN reported that Graham, McCain and Democratic senator Amy Kloubuchar will be meeting with officials from Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Georgia and Montenegro to discuss Russia.

A US political website &#39;The Hill&#39; on Tuesday reported that a lawsuit&nbsp;filed against the CIA, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence seeks records concerning the interference of Russia in the November 8 elections.

The website reported that a US journalist and a Ph.D candidate had filed the lawsuit as the agencies had failed to give out the information they requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Washington Post quoted, on December 9, a secret CIA report that found that Russian interference in the November 8 US presidential election helped Donald Trump win the White House. The Post also reported that individuals connected to the Russian government provided Wikileaks with hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee emails and Hillary Clinton&#39;s campaign chief, among others.

United States President Barack Obama had ordered intelligence agencies to review Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential elections on December 9.

President-elect Donald Trump rejected Russian involvement in the elections.

(WION)

'We're going to put sanctions together that hit Putin as an individual and his inner circle for interfering in our election'

Republican Lindsey Graham said in an interview on Tuesday that 99 per cent of US senators believe Russia interfered in the US presidential elections, which led to Trump winning. “There are 100 United States senators. ... I would say that 99 percent of us believe that the Russians did this, and we’re going to do something about it,” Graham told CNN’s Jim Sciutto in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. "We're going to put sanctions together that hit Putin as an individual and his inner circle for interfering in our election, and they're doing it all over the world -- not just in the United States." Graham, along with senator John McCain, appeared on "The Situation Room" in the Baltic nation Estonia. The American news network CNN reported that Graham, McCain and Democratic senator Amy Kloubuchar will be meeting with officials from Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Georgia and Montenegro to discuss Russia. A US political website 'The Hill' on Tuesday reported that a lawsuit filed against the CIA, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence seeks records concerning the interference of Russia in the November 8 elections. The website reported that a US journalist and a Ph.D candidate had filed the lawsuit as the agencies had failed to give out the information they requested under the Freedom of Information Act. The Washington Post quoted, on December 9, a secret CIA report that found that Russian interference in the November 8 US presidential election helped Donald Trump win the White House. The Post also reported that individuals connected to the Russian government provided Wikileaks with hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee emails and Hillary Clinton's campaign chief, among others. United States President Barack Obama had ordered intelligence agencies to review Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential elections on December 9. President-elect Donald Trump rejected Russian involvement in the elections. (WION)

99% senators believe Russia interfered in US elections: Republican senator Graham

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