Donald Trump's Tweet About Robert Mueller & The Russia Investigation Is A Big Shift
On March 17, President Donald Trump did what he does best: complain on Twitter. As a looming investigation into Russian election meddling hangs over Trump's head, many are waiting to see how this situation unfolds. Donald Trump's tweet about Robert Mueller's Russia investigation proves that this isn't just fun and games anymore.
President Trump took to Twitter late March 17 to air his frustrations about the ongoing Russian investigation.
Trump tweeted,
The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime. It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT!
While some may not consider the subject of Donald Trump angry tweeting about a hard hitting news story, this tweet is actually a pretty big deal. While the Russian investigation has been a regular topic in Trump's tweets, this tweet actually signifies the first time the president has mentioned Robert Mueller by name on Twitter. This seems to indicate he's chosen to abandon the idea to defer to Special Counsel Mueller, who is currently leading the investigation into Russia's involvement and possible collusion with the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election.
Then, early on March 18, Trump took to Twitter once again to call out Mueller.
He wrote,
Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added...does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!
Quick fact check for the president: Mueller himself is a long-time Republican, who was appointed to his former position as FBI director by a Republican president, George W. Bush, according to The New York Times. So there's that.
President Trump has long pushed against reports that Russia interfered with the 2016 presidential election to his benefit, and has repeatedly called the Mueller investigation a "witch hunt." On March 17, Trump's personal attorney John Dowd also called for Deputy General Rod Rosenstein to shut down Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. His public statement read,
I pray that Acting Attorney General Rosenstein will follow the brilliant and courageous example of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and bring an end to alleged Russia Collusion investigation manufactured by McCabe’s boss James Comey based upon a fraudulent and corrupt Dossier. Just end it on the merits in light of recent revelations.
The statement was issued the day after president Trump celebrated the firing of former Deputy Director of the FBI Andrew McCabe on March 16. This was just two days before McCabe had planned to step down from his position. In a statement after his firing, McCabe alleged that his dismissal was part of a larger effort to discredit the FBI and Mueller's investigation. "This attack on my credibility ... is part of this Administration's ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the Special Counsel investigation, which continue to this day," McCabe wrote. Trump has reportedly already tried firing Robert Mueller, but withdrew his order after the White House counsel threatened to resign if the order was carried out, according to The New York Times. Elite Daily reached out to the White House at the time for comment on the report, but did not receive a reply.
According to The New York Times, Republicans were alarmed by President Trump's tweets, and raised concerns that Trump would again bring up firing the special counsel. Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina and long-time Trump supporter, personally expressed his concern over the pressing situation to CNN.
“If he tried to do that, that would be the beginning of the end of his presidency, because we’re a rule-of-law nation,” Graham told CNN. "When it comes to Mr. Mueller, he is following the evidence where it takes him, and I think it’s very important he be allowed to do his job without interference, and there are many Republicans who share my view.”
Buckle up everyone, because the drama still continues.
