President Trump spent part of his weekend on Twitter fuming about the coverage of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty Friday to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials.
On Saturday night, Trump attempted to pivot from Flynn to his former Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
“So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday ‘interrogation’ with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times … and nothing happens to her?” Trump tweeted. “Rigged system, or just a double standard?”
So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday “interrogation” with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times…and nothing happens to her? Rigged system, or just a double standard?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
The president continued: “Many people in our Country are asking what the ‘Justice’ Department is going to do about the fact that totally Crooked Hillary, AFTER receiving a subpoena from the United States Congress, deleted and ‘acid washed’ 33,000 Emails? No justice!”
Many people in our Country are asking what the “Justice” Department is going to do about the fact that totally Crooked Hillary, AFTER receiving a subpoena from the United States Congress, deleted and “acid washed” 33,000 Emails? No justice!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
Trump then seized upon the announcement that ABC News had suspended investigative reporter Brian Ross for an erroneous on-air report that asserted Flynn was prepared to testify that Trump, as a candidate for president, directed him to contact Russians. Ross walked back the report on Friday night, saying Trump gave Flynn that directive as president-elect.
“Congratulations to @ABC News for suspending Brian Ross for his horrendously inaccurate and dishonest report on the Russia, Russia, Russia Witch Hunt,” Trump tweeted. “More Networks and ‘papers’ should do the same with their Fake News!”
Congratulations to @ABC News for suspending Brian Ross for his horrendously inaccurate and dishonest report on the Russia, Russia, Russia Witch Hunt. More Networks and “papers” should do the same with their Fake News!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
“My job is to hold people accountable,” Ross tweeted after the announcement, “and that’s why I agree with being held accountable myself.”
My job is to hold people accountable and that's why I agree with being held accountable myself.
— Brian Ross (@BrianRoss) December 3, 2017
Trump, though, was not done. Early Sunday morning, the president picked up where he left off, suggesting ABC ought to be sued by stockholders for the error. Ross’ report prompted the Dow to drop more than 350 points.
“People who lost money when the Stock Market went down 350 points based on the False and Dishonest reporting of Brian Ross of @ABC News (he has been suspended), should consider hiring a lawyer and suing ABC for the damages this bad reporting has caused — many millions of dollars!” Trump tweeted.
People who lost money when the Stock Market went down 350 points based on the False and Dishonest reporting of Brian Ross of @ABC News (he has been suspended), should consider hiring a lawyer and suing ABC for the damages this bad reporting has caused – many millions of dollars!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
Trump also claimed that he never asked former FBI director James Comey to end the federal investigation of Flynn.
“I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn,” Trump tweeted early Sunday. “Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!”
I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
In June, Comey testified to the Senate intelligence committee that Trump had told him, “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go.”
Trump subsequently fired Comey, which led to the appointment of Mueller to oversee the Russia investigation. Comey’s firing is thought to be of interest to Mueller’s probe, which is looking into not only contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia but also whether Trump attempted to obstruct justice by terminating the FBI director. On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sen. Diane Feinstein said that the intelligence committee is building a case against Trump for obstruction of justice.
Shortly after Comey’s firing, Trump suggested in an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt that he fired Comey because of the Russia investigation.
“In fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, ’You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story,’” Trump told Holt. “It’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should’ve won.”
On Sunday, Trump tweeted that Comey had tainted the bureau’s reputation.
“After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters — worst in History!” the president stated. “But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.”
After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters – worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
Trump also relayed a “Fox & Friends” report raising questions about the FBI’s Clinton investigation.
Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI “agent’s role in Clinton probe under review.” Led Clinton Email probe. @foxandfriends Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
Report: “ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE” Now it all starts to make sense!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
On Saturday, Trump seemed to change his story about why he fired Flynn, tweeting that he was forced to fire him because he “lied” to both Vice President Mike Pence and the FBI about his contacts with Russia.
I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies. It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful. There was nothing to hide!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 2, 2017
Trump’s tweet suggested he knew Flynn had lied to FBI investigators when Comey says Trump told him to go easy on Flynn. The suggestion lit up Twitter, with legal experts raising the specter that it represented a potential admission of obstruction of justice by the sitting president.
But Trump’s personal attorney, John Dowd, told ABC News that he drafted the president’s tweet about Flynn and had done so in a “sloppy” manner.
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