President Donald Trump railed against the investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election Saturday night into Sunday, sending off a stream of tweets attacking the FBI, CNN, the Democratic Party, his own national security adviser, former President Barack Obama and the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
President Donald Trump’s tweets came after special counsel Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russians for their efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo
He did not criticize Russia, or voice concern over Vladimir Putin’s attempts to undermine U.S. elections.
If it was the GOAL of Russia to create discord, disruption and chaos within the U.S. then, with all of the Committee Hearings, Investigations and Party hatred, they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. They are laughing their asses off in Moscow. Get smart America!” Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday morning.
The tweets came after special counsel Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russians on Friday for their efforts to interfere in the 2016 election and aid Trump’s campaign. The Twitter broadsides attracted bipartisan pushback as Republicans and Democrats expressed frustration that Trump is not taking the Russian threat seriously.
The White House has sought to frame the indictments as vindication, since they do not allege collusion with the Trump campaign, but senior aides have voiced concern that Trump would lash out at the FBI.
Trump confirmed those fears on Saturday night.
“Very sad that the FBI missed all of the many signals sent out by the Florida school shooter. This is not acceptable. They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign — there is no collusion. Get back to the basics and make us all proud!” Trump wrote on Twitter.
hat statement stirred bipartisan ire.
“I think it’s an absurd statement. Absurd,” said Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio) on CNN.
Others reacted to that tweet, and the rest, with something of an eye-roll.
“Maybe it was a bad idea for him to stay off the golf course,” quipped one senior GOP Hill aide in response to a query from POLITICO.
Trump also went after his national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, who said the evidence of Russian meddling was “incontrovertible.”
“General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians and that the only Collusion was between Russia and Crooked H, the DNC and the Dems. Remember the Dirty Dossier, Uranium, Speeches, Emails and the Podesta Company!” Trump wrote.
By Sunday morning, he was on to attacking Obama for the nuclear deal with Iran.
“Never gotten over the fact that Obama was able to send $1.7 Billion Dollars in CASH to Iran and nobody in Congress, the FBI or Justice called for an investigation!” Trump wrote.
