Trump: Son sought information on Clinton from Russians in 2016
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump acknowledged on Sunday that his son met with Russians in 2016 at Trump Tower to get information on his election opponent Hillary Clinton, saying it was “totally legal” and “done all the time in politics.”
Mr. Trump’s morning Twitter post was his most direct statement on the purpose of the meeting, though his son and others have said it was to gather damaging information on the Democratic candidate. In a post on Twitter, Mr. Trump also denied Washington
Post and CNN reports that he was concerned his eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr., could be in legal trouble because of the meeting with the Russians, including a lawyer with Kremlin ties. He repeated that he had not known about the meeting in advance.
“Fake News reporting, a complete fabrication, that I am concerned about the meeting my wonderful son, Donald, had in Trump Tower. This was a meeting to get information on an opponent, totally legal and done all the time in politics — and it went nowhere. I did not know about it!” Mr. Trump said.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is examining whether Trump campaign members coordinated with Russia to sway the White House race in his favor. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied his government interfered.
A part of the inquiry has focused on a June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York between Donald Jr., other campaign aides and a group of Russians. E-mail released by Donald Jr. himself showed he had been keen on the meeting because his father’s campaign was being offered potentially damaging information on Ms. Clinton. Donald Jr. said later he realized the meeting was primarily aimed at lobbying against the 2012 Magnitsky sanctions law, which led to Moscow deny Americans the right to adopt Russian orphans.
President Trump has denied that his campaign worked with Moscow, saying “No Collusion!” Last week, however, he adopted his lawyers’ tactics and insisted “collusion is not a crime.” —