Trump Aides Mum on Kushner-Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Latest on developments involving possible connections between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign (all times local):

10 a.m.

Some of President Donald Trump's top aides are refusing to address reports that Trump's son-in-law -- White House adviser Jared Kushner -- and a Russian diplomat may have discussed setting up a secret communications channel between the Trump transition team and the Kremlin.

Questions about the reports came up when Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, and economic aide Gary Cohn met with the media in Sicily on Saturday --- just before Trump headed back to Washington from his first foreign trip as president.

McMaster and Cohn are declining to comment on new revelations about Kushner communications with Russia's ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak.

And here's just what Cohn said: "We're not going to comment on Jared. We're just not going to comment." That came after repeated questions from reporters.

McMaster says that in general, "we have back channel communications with a number of countries" and doing that "allows you to communicate in a discreet manner."

(KA)