Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 2 augusT 2018

Trump urges end to probe 'right now,' setting off new storm

By JONATHAN LEMIRE and the Department of Justice's
ZEKE MILLER oversight of the probe. "At
Associated Press some point I will have no
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- choice but to use the pow-
dent Donald Trump bluntly ers granted to the Presiden-
declared on Wednesday cy and get involved!" he
his attorney general should tweeted then.
terminate "right now" the Trump has repeatedly belit-
federal probe into the tled the probe as "a hoax,"
campaign that took him to as those close to him sug-
the White House, a newly gest he feels that any talk
fervent attack on the spe- of Russian interference tar-
cial counsel investigation nishes his electoral victory
that could imperil his presi- and delegitimizes his presi-
dency. Trump also assailed dency.
the trial, just undeway, of One of the president's con-
his former campaign chair- fidants deemed Trump
man by the special coun- in "a dark place," seeth-
sel's team ing about the longlasting
White House press secre- probe and the media's de-
tary Sarah Huckabee Sand- piction of his White House
ers scrambled to explain under siege. Though long
that Trump's tweet was "not President Donald Trump smiles during a meeting with inner city pastors in the Cabinet Room of the antagonistic toward the
an order" and the president White House in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. press, Trump's anger toward
was not directing his at- Associated Press the media has only grown
torney general to do any- over the past month, as he
thing. ing to undermine him. Mueller is totally conflicted, airing his grievance about has berated coverage of
"It's the president's opinion," That includes trumped-up and his 17 Angry Democrats Manafort being held in soli- his Singapore and Helsinki
she said. charges against his former that are doing his dirty work tary confinement ahead summits, the possible pros-
But Trump's early morning campaign chairman, Paul are a disgrace to USA!" of a conviction. Manafort ecutorial cooperation of his
tweetstorm again raised Manafort, and distorting The president's anger came is in detention after having former legal "fixer" Michael
the specter that he could the outcome of the Helsinki the day after the start of his bail revoked because Cohen and the Mueller
try to more directly bring summit to make it appear the trial of Manafort, who of allegations that he was probe.
special counsel Robert he was beholden to Russia, is facing federal charges attempting to tamper with After complaining about
Mueller's Russia-Trump according to two Repub- of bank fraud and tax eva- witnesses in his case. Fed- the tough questions he re-
election-collusion probe to licans close to the White sion. And while Mueller did eral prosecutors revealed ceived from American re-
a premature end. And it House not authorized to not bring any election- last month that he was af- porters in Finland, Trump has
revived the idea that the speak about private con- related charges against forded unusual privileges largely steered clear of the
president's tweets them- versations. Manafort, the specter of while in detention. mainstream media, instead
selves might be used as ev- Trump was closely monitor- the Russian investigation is Trump has spent more than opting for safer spaces like
idence that he is attempt- ing news coverage of the hanging over the Alexan- a year trying to distance an interview with ally Rush
ing to obstruct justice. Manafort proceedings, dria, Virginia, courthouse. himself from his one-time Limbaugh this week. From
Meanwhile, Trump attor- which provoked the spate And Trump's White House. top political aide, and to the White House briefing
ney Rudy Giuliani said ne- of incendiary tweets, ac- "Paul Manafort worked for minimize the role Manafort room podium on Wednes-
gotiations are continuing cording to the two Repub- Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole played in his campaign. day, Sanders declined to
to have Trump sit down licans and two White House and many other highly Trump's protestations aside, denounce the harassment
for questions from Mueller, officials. prominent and respected Manafort worked on the of a CNN reporter during
though the lawyer said "I'm "The president's not ob- political leaders," Trump campaign during a critical a Trump rally in Florida on
not going to give you a lot structing, he's fighting tweeted. "He worked for six-month period in 2016, Tuesday.
of hope that it's going to back," said Sanders, dismiss- me for a very short time. during which he led the ef- The president's social me-
happen." He said both sides ing the idea Trump's tweets Why didn't government fort to ensure Trump won dia outburst renewed dis-
had exchanged proposals could be tantamount to tell me that he was under the Republican nomina- cussion of the significance
for conditions for such an obstruction of justice. investigation. These old tion. He oversaw the early of his tweets.
interview, "and yesterday The most inflammatory of charges have nothing to days of the general elec- Rudy Giuliani, the presi-
we got a letter back from Trump's tweets said, "This is do with Collusion - a Hoax!" tion effort. dent's lawyer, stressed that
them and now we're in the a terrible situation and At- Later the president invoked Sanders said Trump wants Trump was just issuing an
process of responding." torney General Jeff Sessions one of the nation's most Mueller's investigation con- opinion, though he also
Trump has raged privately should stop this Rigged notorious criminals, 1920s cluded swiftly without inter- said the White House be-
in recent days that both Witch Hunt right now, be- gangster Al Capone, and vention, though Trump has lieves "the investigation
the forces of government fore it continues to stain our posed the question "who publicly mused as recently should be brought to a
and the media are try- country any further. Bob was treated worse" while as May about interfering in close."q