Russia probe at center of tweet storm
On a day when most people are ready to forget about the issues that nagged them during the week, President Donald Trump revved up. In an early morning flurry of 10 tweets, he commented about pardons, former presidential rival Hillary Clinton, son Don Jr., health care, the USS Gerald Ford, the attorney general and other issues. The message from Trump’s tweets a day after he shook up his communications and legal teams was that he has no intention of curbing the brash shoot-from-the-lip style he brought to the White House.
‘Complete power’
By mentioning pardons, even as he said it’s too soon to consider them, Trump appeared to acknowledge the legal jeopardy his inner circle may face in the FBI inquiry into whether his presidential campaign coordinated with Russian intelligence agents trying to influence the 2016 election.
Trump tweeted: “While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS.”
In defense of Donald Jr.
This week, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.; his son-in-law and White House adviser, Jared Kushner; and Paul Manafort, his former campaign chairman, are scheduled to appear before Senate committees investigating Russian meddling.
Trump defended his son in one of the tweets, saying he “openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!”
Trump’s namesake has become a focus of the investigation after it was revealed that he, Kushner and Manafort met with Russian representatives at Trump Tower in June 2016. Trump Jr. later released email exchanges concerning the meeting on Twitter, after learning that the New York Times was about to publish them.
The FBI investigated Clinton for using a private email server as secretary of state. She turned over thousands of pages of emails to the government, but deleted thousands of others that she said were personal or unrelated to her work as the nation’s top diplomat.
Leaks keep dripping
Trump also complained Saturday about a Washington Post report that the Russian ambassador to the U.S. said he discussed election-related issues with Jeff Sessions when the men met during the 2016 presidential race. Sessions, now the attorney general, at the time was a U.S. senator and foreign policy adviser to Trump. Trump tweeted: “A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comey’s, must stop!”
Repeal and replace, again
Trump also said “Republican Senators must step up to the plate and, after 7 years, vote to Repeal and Replace” the Obamaera health care law. An effort to advance legislation collapsed in the Senate last week after several Republicans said they wouldn’t vote for the bill.
Trump ended the tweet with “Tax Reform and Infrastructure. WIN!”