While President Donald Trump's statements on Russia at a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin were widely condemned by a group of bipartisan lawmakers, at least one US senator took a stand and said he was "absolutely" with the president.

"I think engagement with our adversaries, conversations with our adversaries, is a good idea," Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said during an interview with CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer. "Even in the height of the Cold War, I think it was a good thing that [President John F. Kennedy] had a direct line to [Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev]."

Paul then went beyond backing Trump's comments and blamed partisan leanings for the ongoing outrage.

"I think there is a bit of Trump-derangement syndrome," Paul said. "I think there are people who hate the president so much that this could've easily been President Obama early in his first administration setting the reset button and trying to have better relations with Russia."

Paul added that Russia was a valuable intelligence asset and could be helpful in establishing diplomatic relations with other adversaries, such as North Korea.

"All those things are good," Paul said. "But because people hate Trump so much, all of that's being lost."

Paul's interview with Blitzer became testy at times, as the CNN anchor interjected with a few follow-up questions.

"If you're going to interrupt me on every question, Wolf, we can't really have an interview," Paul said. "If you want to have an interview, you got to let me answer the question."

"You're usually better than this ... at doing an interview."