The Watergate scandal of the 1970s is not as big as the Trump-Russia investigation, the former director of US national intelligence has said.
"Watergate pales" with what the US is confronting now, said James Clapper.
US intelligence agencies believe Russia interfered in the US election and they are investigating alleged links between the Trump campaign and Moscow.
But there is no known evidence of collusion and President Donald Trump has dismissed the story as "fake news".
US intelligence chiefs are to be questioned on the matter by the Senate intelligence committee on Wednesday.
And the following day will see the much-anticipated testimony of the former FBI boss James Comey, who was leading one of the Russia investigations before Mr Trump fired him.
He will be quizzed on his interactions with the president before he was sacked.
Mr Clapper's comparison with Watergate will raise eyebrows - President Richard Nixon resigned amid an unprecedented American political scandal involving spying, burglary and a cover-up.
The former intelligence chief, speaking in Australia, said it was "absolutely crucial" for the US - and the world - to get to the bottom of the allegations.
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