Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump says if he's elected, he would consider meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin before the inauguration in January.
Trump's comments on October 17, on a conservative radio talk show, were the latest remarks drawing attention to his affinity to the Russian leader, whose government has been accused of interfering in the U.S. election.
Trump has said in the past he admires Putin and has lamented the dangerous state of tensions between Washington and Moscow.
“The problem is Putin has no respect for Obama at all,” he told host Michael Savage.
“You have potentially a really catastrophic situation here. I’ll be honest with you,” he continued. “If I win on November 8, I could see myself meeting with Putin and meeting with Russia prior to the start of the administration."
The New York real estate tycoon is also insisting -- without evidence -- that voter fraud poses a significant threat to the integrity of the U.S. electoral system. And he's warning the November 8 election could be rigged "at the polling booths," despite experts' insistence otherwise.
Meanwhile, Trump's Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is expanding her campaign offensive.
She's spending millions of dollars on campaign ads in Arizona, Missouri, and Indiana, states that have been considered Republican strongholds in the past.
The expanded campaign is aimed at helping Democratic candidates for the House and Senate.
It also shows her increased confidence, as many national polls show her with a solid lead over Trump.