Russia interfered in the U.S. elections to get revenge against Hillary ClintonHillary Rodham ClintonBiden: Trump ran 'most vicious' campaign he's ever seen Former ambassador to Russia: Putin wanted 'revenge' against Clinton Student debt is America's most pressing economic problem MORE, a former U.S. ambassador to the Kremlin said Sunday.
"Let's remember that Vladimir Putin thinks [Clinton] interfered in his election — the parliamentary election in December 2011 — and has said as much publicly, and I've heard him talk about it privately," McFaul said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
The New York Times reported last week that American intelligence agencies concluded that Russia acted covertly to harm Clinton's campaign and promote Trump.
Putin would also be motivated to help Trump because the two support many of the same policies, McFaul said.
"It's very rational in my view that [Putin] would rather see President-elect Trump be the next president of the United States instead of Secretary Clinton," he said.
"We really do need this bipartisan, independent investigation that others are calling for."