WASHINGTON–Republican political operative Roger Stone says he still communicates with President Donald Trump and the last conversation he had was relatively recent.
Stone noted he has not spoken to the president about Congress’s investigation into Russia’s influence peddling in the 2016 election and that lawmakers wish to talk to Stone.
“I think the president and I understand that any conversation we had in October was monitored and I imagine my conversations these days are monitored, so we keep it pretty general. And by and large it is my policy not to discuss what I have had to discuss with the President,” Stone said on The David Webb Show on SiriusXM Patriot Ch. 125 Friday night.
“You guys both know I’m a writer and I’m a memo writer. I’m a prolific writer. I’m happy to tell you my opinion any time you want to know, so I do write to the president from time to time just political thoughts and so on.”
When asked when he last spoke with Trump, Stone replied, “In a little while now I would say I don’t want to characterize it, but less than a week ago.”
He added, “He’s easier to find on the weekends. He’s got more time on his hands. But I’m happy to say after I was on with George Stephanopoulos, he called. After I was on with Chuck Todd, he called. After the Netflix document trailer was released, he called,” noting the president was pleased with Stone’s appearances where he defended him.
Stone, however, is critical about some administration choices and advice being given to President Trump.
“On the whole, I would say I’m pleased but that’s only because Donald Trump insists on sticking to his guns, despite what I consider to be some bad advice he’s getting from some quarters. It took me a while to kind of get comfortable with it, but ultimately, I understood the surgical strike into Syria and I have to admit, despite the fact that I’m an anti-interventionist for a lot of geopolitical reasons that transcend Syria, I see why it was irresistible and why he did it.”
He went on to say, “To his credit, when generals Madison and McMaster and his son in law and his daughter and many others in his circle suggested 150,000 boots on the ground in Syria, the President had the good sense to say no that’s not our policy. That’s a bad idea.”
Stone also criticized the choice of former Texas Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to be NATO ambassador.
“I question why one would hire White House aides who were not for you in the election, did not have any record of supporting the kind of policy initiatives that you support. I understand and need to unite the Republican Party, but the idea for example of Kay Bailey Hutchison to be NATO ambassador– Why? Why would you do that? She was harshly critical of Donald Trump. And you know former U.N. spokesman Rick Grennell who worked for Bush but who was a stalwart supporter from the beginning and a great surrogate. I think he deserves the job,” he said.
Trump has yet to make an appointment, but Hutchison is currently the leading contender for the job. Senators in both parties said last week to CNN they’d heard nothing from the White House about Trump choosing Hutchison but liked the idea of it.
Additionally, Hutchison already has a supporter in Trump’s cabinet, Sec. of State Rex Tillerson, who gave $4,200 to Hutchison’s re-election campaign as well as donated $5,100 when she took on Gov. Rick Perry in the 2010 primary.