Susan Collins Denies She Was Talking About Trump in Hot Mic Moment

CHUCK TODD: There were a lot of side shows this week. One of them had to do with a hot mic moment that caught you and Senator Reed talking about the threat that a Republican member of Congress made at you. But there was another portion of the tape that you have not referenced at all. Here it is:

(BEGIN TAPE)

SEN. JACK REED: Yes. I think he’s -- I think he’s crazy. And I, I --

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS: I’m worried.

SEN. JACK REED: I don’t say that --

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS: No...lightly --

SEN. JACK REED: -- lightly as kind of yeah you know a goofy guy...

(END TAPE)

CHUCK TODD: You appear to be referencing the president there with Senator Reed and can you expound upon that a little bit? How concerned are you about the president?

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS: Actually what I was talking about is the president’s budget. And if you go earlier in that tape, I talk about the fact that at O.M.B. went through the budget and appeared to zero out many really vital programs without doing a careful analysis of the impact on communities, on vulnerable citizens, on veterans, on people across the United States. So when I said, “I’m worried.” That’s what I was referring to. I was referring to the president’s budget and I am worried about the president’s budget. As O.M.B. has put it forth, I think there are a lot of problems in it.