Page: Conversation with Sessions about Russia trip was 'a brief comment'

Page described the encounter to CNN's Jake Tapper as a "nothing event" at a dinner during the 2016 campaign, at which Page approached then-Sen. Sessions, who is now the US attorney general and was an early supporter of Trump's campaign, to say hello and mentioned he was headed to Russia.

"That mention, which was the big headline yesterday, was a brief comment as we were walking toward the elevator after having a dinner together, and so it was such a nothing event," Page said. "It's totally in passing. It was nothing."

Tapper further inquired if he mentioned the July 2016 trip to Moscow to anyone else on the campaign.

"I mentioned it to a few people," Page replied.

On Thursday, CNN reported that during more than six hours of closed-door testimony with the House intelligence committee, Page privately recalled a conversation with Sessions about the trip he was planning to take to Russia.

CNN had also reported that the encounter Page described occurred at a dinner at the Capitol Hill Club, at which Page approached Sessions to say hello and mentioned he was headed to Russia, according to a source familiar with the meeting.

Page said his Russia trip was not connected to his role on the campaign, but the conversation between the former Trump foreign policy adviser and current US attorney general puts Sessions' answers to Congress about Russia and the Trump campaign back in the spotlight.

Earlier this week, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former Trump campaign official Rick Gates surrendered to special counsel Robert Mueller, and another former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos, pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the FBI.