Irish Independent

‘Statements in the report about me are total bulls**t,’ says angry Trump

- Andrew Griffin

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has launched an angry and expletive-laden tirade in response to statements about him revealed in the Mueller report into Russian involvemen­t in his election.

The angry morning outburst came after the release of the special counsel’s findings revealed he had repeatedly attempted to obstruct justice, but that aides had refused to follow his instructio­ns.

“Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue,” he said.

In what is thought to be the first example of a sitting president swearing in a tweet, he added: “Watch out for people that take so-called “notes” when the notes never existed until needed. Because I never agreed to testify, it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the “Report” about me, some of which are total bulls**t & only given to make the other person look good (or me bad).”

Mr Trump’s tweet included an unfinished sentence and ellipsis at the end, usually suggesting a further post is to follow. But more than an hour passed from the “bulls**t” tweet with no follow-up appearing on his feed.

While Mr Trump did not indicate which notes or statements he was objecting to, the Mueller report includes a series of embarrassi­ng claims about the president. Some are said to be taken from contempora­neous notes, including the suggestion he described himself as “f***ed” when the probe began. “Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I’m f***ed,” he said, according to notes from Jeff Sessions’s then-chief of staff Jody Hunt.

Mr Trump had initially attempted to present the Mueller report as a complete exoneratio­n.

Just before it was announced, he posted another tweet, addressed to his “haters” in which he referenced ‘Game Of Thrones’ and wrote “Game Over” and “No Collusion. No Obstructio­n”.

A further statement from Rudy Giuliani and Mr Trump’s lawyers said “the report itself is nothing more than an attempt to rehash old allegation­s” and insisted that “the results of the investigat­ion are a total victory for the president”.

Donald Trump Jr, the president’s eldest son, was featured prominentl­y in the report for meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016.

Although the report said “the campaign anticipate­d receiving derogatory documents and informatio­n” from Russians that “could assist Trump’s electoral prospects”, it said “the government would unlikely be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt” that the participan­ts at that meeting “had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful”.

The younger Trump tweeted a series of attacks on Democrats: “Better luck next hoax!”

Senior adviser Kellyanne Conway said that because the White House did not interfere with Mr Mueller’s work, that “should make people feel good about democracy”.

“We’re accepting apologies today, too,” Ms Conway told reporters, adding that Mr Trump talked to his lawyers and was in “a great mood”.

The president, who normally talks to reporters on his way out of the White House, declined to speak as he left to spend the Easter weekend

‘I had the right to end the whole witch huntifI wanted’

in Florida. But from Air Force One, he tweeted: “I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted. I chose not to. I had the RIGHT to use Executive Privilege. I didn’t!”

Appearing relaxed earlier at a military event, Mr Trump said a statue he had been presented as a memento would have a home “at least for six years, in the Oval Office”. (© Independen­t News Service)

 ?? PHOTO: JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES ?? Departure:
Donald Trump and First Lady Melania walk towards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
PHOTO: JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES Departure: Donald Trump and First Lady Melania walk towards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
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