KATE BOLDUAN (HOST): Amanda, the president had something to say about the [Jared] Kushner back-channel ask this morning, retweeting a Fox News report that said that Kushner didn't suggest that Russian communications channel in a meeting, source says. Now this is also the very same president, Amanda, you'll remember, that has said this in the past in tweets -- and we'll put them up on the stage. “Whenever you see the word 'sources say' in the fake news media and they don't mention names, it is very possible that these sources don't exist but they are made up by fake news writers.” Your take on this? When do we believe the sources and when do we not, I say facetiously.
AMANDA CARPENTER: Here's the thing, Donald Trump needs more than a blunt item on FoxNews.com to support his case, especially when it comes to Jared Kushner. Here's what's going on right now. The FBI is not -- we're not having a big investigation about collusion -- there are investigations going on about Russian influence over the elections. And the question is were Trump associates witting or unwitting essentially in a vulnerable position for Russians to take advantage of? That is the question we need to look at. And all these reports, sources named, sources unnamed, get back to a question of, A, Russians, B, secret meetings, and C, money. Those are the three things, Russians, secret meetings, and the money that was exchanged that was previously undisclosed, whether it's speaking fees, whether it's talking with bankers. That's what is swirling around right now, and the Trump administration has offered no reasonable explanation other than this is a witch hunt, don't ask questions. They're going to have to do a lot better than that. They have no story. They have no narrative to explain why they had so many contacts with the Russians that they did not disclose to the public that to date has now resulted in the firing of three people investigating the situation and the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Those are really big deals.
BOLDUAN: Barry, on the most basic level, though, the president very clearly, in just a couple days, he wants to have it both ways -- “don't trust sources, but trust my sources.” I mean, that's not -- that's not -- that doesn't work, friend.
BARRY BENNETT: No, it doesn't, you know? But the problem is that the media is guilty of this just like both political parties are. We all believe the source that tends to lend to our narrative, right? I don't trust any of these sources. If you want to go on camera and say something, that's fine, but all these sources from the intelligence community? I mean, I've never seen anything like it.
