Trump claims ‘total and complete vindication’ in tweets on Comey
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday broke his silence on Twitter following explosive testimony by fired FBI Director James Comey, declaring “total and complete vindication.”
Trump’s Twitter account had been quiet throughout Comey’s testimony accusing the administration of spreading “lies.” But a day after the closely watched hearing, Trump struck back with an early morning tweet: “Wow, Comey is a leaker.”
Trump was expected to face journalists later Friday in a joint news conference with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who is visiting the White House.
While Trump might feel vindicated, Comey’s reputation as a truth-teller didn’t seem to take a hit. In his testimony, Comey detailed months of distrust of the president and bluntly asserted that Trump had fired him to interfere
despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication ... and WOW, Comey is a leaker. Donald Trump
with the probe of Russia’s ties to the Trump campaign.
House Speaker Paul Ryan tried to brush off the conclusion as Trump being new to the White House, but Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, said Congress needs to obtain any tapes the president might have of his dealings with the former FBI director. She called Comey an “honorable individual.”
“I found him to be credible, candid and thorough,” Collins said of Comey on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” Also in his testimony, Comey revealed that he’d orchestrated the public release of information about his private conversations with the president in an effort to further the investigation.
Trump’s tweet read: “Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication ... and WOW, Comey is a leaker.”
Collins, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, which is investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, said Comey’s motivation “may have been a good one.” But, she said, he was wrong to leak his notes to the public and should have given that document to her panel.
Comey’s testimony provided a gripping account of his interactions with Trump and underscored the discord that had soured their relationship. —