Democratic senator: 'I don't think the US government is doing enough' to fight Russian interference

Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Tuesday that he does not believe the US government "is doing enough" to counter Russian interference in US elections.

"I don't think the US government is doing enough," the Maryland Democrat told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room" in response to a question about whether Facebook has taken adequate steps to fight Russian interference.

Van Hollen indicated that he believes Facebook, unlike the US government, has taken appropriate measures. "I think Facebook is," he said, "they're trying to get in front of this."

CNN reported earlier Tuesday that Facebook has taken down a network of suspected Russian-linked accounts and pages involved in organizing political events in the US.

Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, recently warned that Russian efforts to undermine American democracy are "ongoing" and "pervasive."

That warning from the US intelligence chief came after President Donald Trump declined to endorse the conclusion of the intelligence community that Russia interfered in the 2016 election during a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Facing a backlash, the President later said that he misspoke during the press conference.