How Trump’s Tweets from June Seem to Corroborate Reports That He Tried to Fire Mueller
Photo by Win McNamee/Getty
The President of the United States has a habit of broadcasting his inner thoughts and anxieties to the world through his Twitter account. Most of you on Twitter have seen Trump’s madness whether you follow him or not, and it’s easy to just push it out of your brain as the unimportant ravings of a madman. You’re not wrong on the latter phrase, but they’re not all unimportant.
Last night’s New York Times bombshell that Trump issued an order to fire special counsel Robert Mueller provides us an opportunity to travel back in time in order to get a first-hand look at what was going through the president’s brain when he issued the order to the White House counsel in June. Let’s begin at an arbitrary, but seemingly fitting beginning for this saga: James Comey’s open testimony on June 8th.
Thursday June 8th
The former FBI Director’s testimony was billed as something of a political Super Bowl, as viewing parties gathered across the country to watch a Congressional testimony in the middle of the day. Much of it was wonkish and lawerly, but Comey did drop some bombshells—like calling Donald Trump a liar.
“I was honestly concerned he might lie about the nature of our meeting so I thought it important to document. That combination of things I had never experienced before, but had led me to believe I got to write it down and write it down in a very detailed way.”
Comey also said that he felt the need to protect the FBI from the president.
”As I said, a combination of things. A gut feeling is an important overlay, but the circumstances, that I was alone, the subject matter and the nature of the person I was interacting with and my read of that person. Yeah, and really just gut feel, laying on top of all of that, that this is going to be important to protect this organization, that I make records of this.”
Comey said that Mike Pence knew of Mike Flynn’s myriad issues while Pence chaired Trump’s transition team.
Senator Ron Wyden: Vice president Pence was the head of the transition. To your knowledge, was he aware of the concerns about Michael Flynn prior to or during general Flynn’s tenure as national security adviser?
Comey: I don’t — you’re asking including up to the time when Flynn was —
Wyden: Right.
Comey: Forced to resign? My understanding is that he was. I’m trying to remember where I get that understanding from. I think from acting attorney general Yates.
James Comey also alluded to “problematic” facts about Jeff Sessions as it pertains to the Russia investigation. Keep in mind that he was under oath for all of this.
! Comey says there was facts that would make Sessions involvement in the Russia investigation “problematic” but he can’t discuss in public pic.twitter.com/H1rNT4SBN1
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) June 8, 2017
Friday June 9th
President Trump started this ordeal out on the right foot. Everyone assumed that he would live-tweet Comey’s testimony and further shove his foot in his mouth, but he was on his best behavior, and we didn’t hear from President Doofus until the next day.
Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication…and WOW, Comey is a leaker!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2017
The “vindication” that Trump alludes to here is Comey saying that Trump was not under a counterintelligence investigation, however, he also said that senior members of the FBI disagreed with his decision to tell Trump he was not under investigation.
”One of the members of the leadership team had a view that although it was technically true we did not have a counter-intelligence file case open on then President-elect Trump. His concern was because we’re looking at the potential, again, that’s the subject of the investigation, coordination between the campaign and Russia, because it was President Trump, President-elect Trump’s campaign, this person’s view was inevitably his behavior, his conduct will fall within the scope of that work. And so he was reluctant to make the statement. I disagreed.”
Sunday June 11th
Saturday morning is typically a big tweeting time for the president, as Ivanka and Jared are gone thanks to the Jewish sabbath, and he is largely left to his own devices—which means that he’s live-tweeting everything he sees on Fox News. Trump was quite reserved this weekend, firing off several tweets on Sunday morning that seemingly were in response to whatever cable news he was watching, but only one was related to the Russia investigation.
I believe the James Comey leaks will be far more prevalent than anyone ever thought possible. Totally illegal? Very ‘cowardly!’
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2017
Monday June 12th
Last night’s NYT bombshell was corroborated by a multitude of news outlets, including Fox News. The Washington Post reported that Trump’s move to fire Mueller was egged on by his friends. Per WaPo:
Trump was initially calm when Mueller was appointed, surprising White House aides, according to a senior administration official.
But in the weeks that followed, the president spoke with a number of friends and advisers who convinced him that Mueller would dig through his private finances and look beyond questions of collusion with Russians. They warned that the probe could last years and would ruin his first term in office.
At the time, Trump’s legal team was urging him to take an aggressive posture toward the special counsel and was compiling arguments about why Mueller could not be impartial.
Given Trump’s relative silence after James Comey’s testimony, this seems like a prime candidate for one of the “weeks that followed” where Trump’s friends tried to talk him into firing Mueller. In fact, his friend Christopher Ruddy—the CEO of Newsmax—went on TV on June 12th and said that the president was thinking of doing just that. White House correspondent for the American Urban Radio Networks, April Ryan, confirmed that her sources were buzzing with this possibility that same day.
April Ryan on the potential of Mueller firing. “Mass hysteria in the West Wing about this” pic.twitter.com/criOQmSPmF
— This Is Not Normal (@NetworkJunkyz) June 12, 2017
Tuesday, June 13th
This doubled as Trump’s escalation in this saga, and the day that Jeff Sessions began to seriously implicate himself in this mess with his testimony in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee. As I wrote about Sessions the following day:
If you drank every time Sessions said “I don’t recall,” you would be dead by now. The entire crux behind his stonewalling came down to executive privilege, which is a legal declaration that allows the president to withhold information in the public interest. This is not some amorphous term, but one that the president must formally invoke. Jeff Sessions testified under oath that President Trump did not invoke executive privilege, yet he refused to answer an avalanche of questions surrounding his communications with Donald Trump, de facto invoking executive privilege despite not formally doing it de jure. In short, Sessions tried to have his cake and eat it too.
Trump was en route to a campaign event in Wisconsin, but he still took time to yell at the TV on the internet, as he began to ratchet up his attacks on the Russia investigation once again.
The Fake News Media has never been so wrong or so dirty. Purposely incorrect stories and phony sources to meet their agenda of hate. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2017
A.G. Lynch made law enforcement decisions for political purposes…gave Hillary Clinton a free pass and protection. Totally illegal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2017
Fake News is at an all time high. Where is their apology to me for all of the incorrect stories???
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2017
Wednesday June 14th
This was the day that Representative Steve Scalise and others were shot at a Congressional baseball field. Trump may be a complete and utter moron, but he was smart enough to know not to tweet about the Russia investigation and make that tragic day about himself.
Thursday June 15th
However, it was like it never happened the following day, as Trump escalated his attacks on the investigation, and the Justice Department in general.
They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history – led by some very bad and conflicted people! #MAGA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
Why is that Hillary Clintons family and Dems dealings with Russia are not looked at, but my non-dealings are?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
Crooked H destroyed phones w/ hammer, ‘bleached’ emails, & had husband meet w/AG days before she was cleared- & they talk about obstruction?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
Friday June 16th
Now we’re really cooking with gasoline.
After 7 months of investigations & committee hearings about my “collusion with the Russians,” nobody has been able to show any proof. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2017
The Fake News Media hates when I use what has turned out to be my very powerful Social Media – over 100 million people! I can go around them
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2017
Despite the phony Witch Hunt going on in America, the economic & jobs numbers are great. Regulations way down, jobs and enthusiasm way up!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2017
I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2017
Thursday June 22nd
Trump was on his best behavior for most of this week. The most expensive House race in history took place two days prior in Georgia—as well as another special election in South Carolina—and Trump spent most of his Twitter time imploring his supporters to vote for Republicans. However, something got under his skin this day, and he completely let loose. The only Russian investigation-related news to come out that day was a TIME report that hackers altered voter rolls and stole private data on U.S. citizens, but that did not make much of an impact on the public consciousness at the time, so it’s unlikely that Trump’s madness was directly related to that bombshell.
Former Homeland Security Advisor Jeh Johnson is latest top intelligence official to state there was no grand scheme between Trump & Russia.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
By the way, if Russia was working so hard on the 2016 Election, it all took place during the Obama Admin. Why didn’t they stop them?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
…Why did Democratic National Committee turn down the DHS offer to protect against hacks (long prior to election). It’s all a big Dem HOAX!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
…Why did the DNC REFUSE to turn over its Server to the FBI, and still hasn’t? It’s all a big Dem scam and excuse for losing the election!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
…whether there are “tapes” or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
Friday June 23rd
There was big news on the Russia front this day, but it was good for Trump, because it wasn’t about him. He made sure to let us all know over the next few days.
Just out: The Obama Administration knew far in advance of November 8th about election meddling by Russia. Did nothing about it. WHY?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 24, 2017
Saturday June 24th
Since the Obama Administration was told way before the 2016 Election that the Russians were meddling, why no action? Focus on them, not T!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 24, 2017
Monday June 26th
The reason that President Obama did NOTHING about Russia after being notified by the CIA of meddling is that he expected Clinton would win..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017
…and did not want to “rock the boat.” He didn’t “choke,” he colluded or obstructed, and it did the Dems and Crooked Hillary no good.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017
The real story is that President Obama did NOTHING after being informed in August about Russian meddling. With 4 months looking at Russia…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017
..under a magnifying glass, they have zero “tapes” of T people colluding. There is no collusion & no obstruction. I should be given apology!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017
From @FoxNews “Bombshell: In 2016, Obama dismissed idea that anyone could rig an American election.” Check out his statement – Witch Hunt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017
Tuesday June 27th
You could tell that Trump was emboldened by both the news that President Obama did not seriously deal with the Russian threat during the election, and the CNN retraction which led to the dismissal of three employees. Trump’s tone turned from aggrievement towards vindication.
Wow, CNN had to retract big story on “Russia,” with 3 employees forced to resign. What about all the other phony stories they do? FAKE NEWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017
So they caught Fake News CNN cold, but what about NBC, CBS & ABC? What about the failing @nytimes & @washingtonpost? They are all Fake News!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017
Wednesday June 28th
Trump was offended by the NYT over their report that he did not help the failed health care bill get through Congress. He took this time to spray generic attacks across the entire media landscape.
The failing @nytimes writes false story after false story about me. They don’t even call to verify the facts of a story. A Fake News Joke!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2017
Some of the Fake News Media likes to say that I am not totally engaged in healthcare. Wrong, I know the subject well & want victory for U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2017
The #AmazonWashingtonPost, sometimes referred to as the guardian of Amazon not paying internet taxes (which they should) is FAKE NEWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2017
It’s crazy to think that anyone with a general idea of how to use Twitter’s advanced search can glean a window into our current president’s mindset in a more in-depth manner than some intelligence agencies who have spied on past presidents. If Fox News is confirming that Trump tried to fire Robert Mueller, we can pretty much take that report as gospel. On June 12th, both Trump’s friend and a plugged-in White House source said that he wanted to get rid of the special counsel, and his tweets the following week depict a president bursting at the seams. Robert Mueller was appointed on May 17th, and judging by the timeline laid out by the president, he gave him at most, a month before damning him to the same fate of the last man digging into his potential connections to Russia. If we can get this kind of a window into Trump’s psyche solely through his tweets, just imagine what Robert Mueller and the largest spying apparatus in the history of mankind has on our doddering president.
Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling.