Extract from ABC News
Analysis
There was no specific reference to this week's episode of boiling controversy engulfing the White House, but his message, delivered during a speech to graduates, was clear.
"You have to put your head down and fight, fight, fight," he said.
"Look at the way I have been treated lately, especially by the media.
Even by Trump administration standards it's been a chaotic week or so. There was the sudden sacking of the head of the FBI with its mixed messaging and contradictions.
There was the President's suggestion that he may have recorded conversations in the Oval Office.
There was the leaked allegation that the President had fed classified information to the Russian Foreign Minister.
Then there was the further sensational suggestion that the President had asked the FBI boss to end an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
"I hope you can let this go," the President allegedly said to
James Comey, who is known for his diligent memos recording conversations
of dubious ethical or legal status. It's a version of events that the
White House denies.
Notably the President has barely tweeted in more than 24 hours.
He's been relying on the likes of national security adviser General HR McMaster, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and embattled press secretary Sean Spicer to do the talking.
This amid swirling rumours of an imminent internal staff shake-up, reports of shouting emanating from behind closed doors in the West Wing and talk of senior administration officials being replaced.
You can bet Team Trump is looking forward to getting on Air Force One to Saudi Arabia tomorrow.
While it may be out of the frying pan, into the fire, a Trump tour of the world's holiest sites with the aim of uniting Islam, Christianity and Judaism may just be off the wall enough to take the focus away from "this Russia thing", as the President described it last week.
Republicans are beginning to shift uncomfortably in their seats as the suspicion and innuendo continues to derail any actual policy discussion while rare policy implementation is constantly overshadowed.
Previously overblown talk of impeachment remains an extreme
left-field option but is suddenly at least up for discussion. Even a
handful of Republicans have raised the prospect.
Others are now joining Democrat calls for a special prosecutor or independent commission to investigate the latest allegations.
Some are concerned their own political careers will be tainted if a cover-up is exposed, but House Speaker Paul Ryan has urged Republicans not to rush to judgement, and many agree, arguing there's no evidence of illegality on the part of the Trump administration and that the whole saga is a beat-up.
The Senate Intelligence Committee has now invited James Comey to testify at both open and closed hearings. No answer has yet been received.
Multiple committees have now either requested his memos or testimony, some also asking for any White House recordings of Russia-related meetings.
Some, like Florida Republican Marco Rubio, suggest they should be subpoenaed if not forthcoming.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also helpfully offered to provide a transcript of the meeting with Sergei Lavrov in the Oval Office.
Updated
What does Donald Trump do when he's cornered? He lashes out.
True
to form that's exactly what he's done today, attacking the media in the
middle of a commencement speech at the US Coast Guard Academy and
appealing to his support base.There was no specific reference to this week's episode of boiling controversy engulfing the White House, but his message, delivered during a speech to graduates, was clear.
"You have to put your head down and fight, fight, fight," he said.
"Look at the way I have been treated lately, especially by the media.
"No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly."You can't let them get you down, you can't let the critics and the naysayers get in the way of your dreams."
Photo:
The firing of FBI director James Comey and the confusion after it was just one part of a tough week. (AP/Reuters)
While the media is the easy target, the bigger
question is who is leaking such sensitive information from inside the
White House to undermine the President.Even by Trump administration standards it's been a chaotic week or so. There was the sudden sacking of the head of the FBI with its mixed messaging and contradictions.
There was the President's suggestion that he may have recorded conversations in the Oval Office.
There was the leaked allegation that the President had fed classified information to the Russian Foreign Minister.
Then there was the further sensational suggestion that the President had asked the FBI boss to end an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Notably the President has barely tweeted in more than 24 hours.
He's been relying on the likes of national security adviser General HR McMaster, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and embattled press secretary Sean Spicer to do the talking.
This amid swirling rumours of an imminent internal staff shake-up, reports of shouting emanating from behind closed doors in the West Wing and talk of senior administration officials being replaced.
You can bet Team Trump is looking forward to getting on Air Force One to Saudi Arabia tomorrow.
While it may be out of the frying pan, into the fire, a Trump tour of the world's holiest sites with the aim of uniting Islam, Christianity and Judaism may just be off the wall enough to take the focus away from "this Russia thing", as the President described it last week.
Russia issue not about to disappear
But if there's one issue that comes back repeatedly like a boomerang, it's this one.Republicans are beginning to shift uncomfortably in their seats as the suspicion and innuendo continues to derail any actual policy discussion while rare policy implementation is constantly overshadowed.
Others are now joining Democrat calls for a special prosecutor or independent commission to investigate the latest allegations.
Some are concerned their own political careers will be tainted if a cover-up is exposed, but House Speaker Paul Ryan has urged Republicans not to rush to judgement, and many agree, arguing there's no evidence of illegality on the part of the Trump administration and that the whole saga is a beat-up.
The Senate Intelligence Committee has now invited James Comey to testify at both open and closed hearings. No answer has yet been received.
Multiple committees have now either requested his memos or testimony, some also asking for any White House recordings of Russia-related meetings.
Some, like Florida Republican Marco Rubio, suggest they should be subpoenaed if not forthcoming.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also helpfully offered to provide a transcript of the meeting with Sergei Lavrov in the Oval Office.
No comments:
Post a Comment