Trump calls tributes to Powell ‘fake news’ in attack on general’s record
Former president criticises ex-secretary of state over Iraq war and labels him ‘Republican in name only’
DONALD TRUMP yesterday dismissed tributes to Colin Powell as “fake news”, little more than 24 hours after the former US secretary of state’s death.
The former American president also criticised Mr Powell for making “big mistakes” in relation to the Iraq war.
Mr Powell died on Monday, aged 84, from Covid-19 complications after a long and illustrious career that saw him become national security adviser to Ronald Reagan, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff under Bill Clinton, and ultimately the first black secretary of state under George W Bush.
After his death, tributes poured in from across the political spectrum and around the world. But, in a statement yesterday, Mr Trump said: “Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media. Hope that happens to me someday.
“He was a classic RINO [Republican In Name Only], if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!”
Mr Powell had long been a particular target of criticism from Mr Trump, along with other Republicans who led the country to war in Iraq.
The retired general played a leading role building support among US allies for the invasion in 2003. That included arguing to the United Nations that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, evidence of which was never found. Mr Powell later called it a “blot” on his record.
In turn, Mr Powell had been highly critical of Mr Trump, especially after the riot at the US Capitol on Jan 6. He called Mr Trump a national disgrace and lambasted other Republicans who refused to censure the former president, saying: “They should have known better, but they were so taken by their political standing and none of them wanted to put themselves at political risk.”
Mr Powell distanced himself from the Republican Party in his later years and publicly backed Joe Biden’s presidential bid against Mr Trump in 2020.
Democrats reacted angrily to Mr Trump’s statement. Congressman Eric Swalwell called on Republicans to show the “spine to disavow” it.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump also launched a legal action against Congress and the National Archives in an attempt to block White House records relating to the Jan 6 riot being disclosed. A Congressional committee is investigating the events and seeking the documents.
Democrat congressman Bennie Thompson, the committee’s chairman, said: “The former president’s clear objective is to stop the committee from getting to the facts about January 6 and his lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt to delay and obstruct our probe.”