The former US president hits out at Donald Trump on
Russia, the media and his controversial travel ban, in a new TV interview.
George W Bush says "we all need answers" on
possible links between President Donald Trump and the Russian government.
In some of his first remarks since Mr Trump became
president, Mr Bush positioned himself firmly against many of his policies.
The former US president said the media was
"indispensable to democracy", in contrast to Mr Trump's recent
attacks on the press.
Speaking in an interview with NBC's Today show, he also
said he supported a "welcoming" immigration policy, and opposed
President Trump's controversial travel ban.
His comments on Russia came after Republican Congressman
Darrell Issa called for a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate
claims Russia interfered in the presidential election and was in touch with
Trump advisers during the campaign.
Mr Bush didn't rule out the possibility of a special
prosecutor being appointed but said he trusted the chairman of the Senate
Intelligence Committee Richard Burr to decide if it was necessary.
"I think we all need answers," he said.
"I'm not sure the right avenue to take."
"I am sure, though, that that question needs to be
answered."
The former Republican president also waded into the
controversy surrounding Mr Trump's criticism of the media, saying he didn't
agree with Mr Trump's characterisation of the media as the "enemy of the
people".
"I consider the media to be indispensable to
democracy... we need an independent media to hold people like me to
account," he said.
"Power can be very addictive, and it can be
corrosive.
"And it's important for the media to call to
account people who abuse their power, whether it be here or elsewhere."
Mr Bush said during his time in office he attempted to
persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept the concept of an
independent news media.
But, he said, "it's kind of hard to tell others to
have an independent, free press" if we're "not willing to have one
ourselves".
Mr Trump won the election after beating 16 Republican
candidates, including Mr Bush's brother Jeb, to secure the party's nomination.
Asked whether he supported Mr Trump's attempts to ban
travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations, Mr Bush said: "I am for an
immigration policy that's welcoming and upholds the law."
He said it would be harder to fight IS and other
extremists if the US turns inwards.
"It's very hard to fight the war on terrorism if
we're in retreat," he said.
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