Trump again declares “greatest Witch Hunt in American history”
Developments on Day 356 of the Trump Administration:
Trump Backs Away from “100%” Statement
Donald Trump refuses to commit to an oral deposition to the Trump-Russia investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
During a news conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Trump was asked about reports that Mueller is on the point of issuing a subpoena for the deposition.
“I’ll speak to attorneys,” Trump said. “We’ll see what happens.”
In June, as he defended his firing of FBI Director James Comey, Trump said he would be “100%” willing to give a sworn statement to Mueller.
White House lawyers are reportedly wary of their client speaking to investigators as, with Trump’s propensity for statements that are not necessarily the truth, it may expose him further to charges of perjury and obstruction and justice. They are pressing for a written deposition, if Trump has to fulfil the subpoena.
Trump repeated his criticism of the inquiry as a “witch hunt” and a “Democrat hoax”, reinforcing the remarks on Twitter:
The single greatest Witch Hunt in American history continues. There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, & yet on and on it goes. Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018
Trump repeated the false claim:
It has been determined that there’s been no collusion — and by virtually everybody. When they have no collusion, and nobody’s found any collusion at any level, it seems unlikely that you’d even have an interview.
Trump: I’ll Change Libel Laws
Amid the growing pressure of the Russia inquiry and a new tell-all book about him and his Administration, Trump said on Wednesday that he will review libel laws
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting, Trump said that people should not be able to say falsehood and then “smile as money pours into your bank account”:
Our current libel laws are a sham and a disgrace, and do not represent American values or American fairness. We’re going to take a very, very strong look at that. And I think what the American people want to see is fairness.
Trump has been renowned for his own suspect claims, such as that Barack Obama was actually born in Kenya, and for his insults of political opponents.
Trump’s remarks follow the publication of Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury, in which multiple sources portray the President as ill-informed and possibly unfit for office. Comments by former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon also link Trump to collusion with Russia.
Last autumn Trump responded to reports about him with the promise:
One of the things I’m going to do if I win…I’m going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money. We’re going to open up those libel laws.
So when The New York Times writes a hit piece which is a total disgrace or when The Washington Post, which is there for other reasons, writes a hit piece, we can sue them and win money instead of having no chance of winning because they’re totally protected.
