Mueller Testimony Puts President Trump On The Offensive
Robert Mueller will be testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday in a long-anticipated day of hearings. Some Trump adversaries hope this will provide a “vivid narrative,” as The New York Times describes it, of the former special counsel’s investigation into possible collusion with Russian agents.
Donald Trump, for his part, has gone on the offensive on Twitter, beginning his tirade against Mueller and the Democrats on Tuesday night, hours before Mueller even provided his opening statements.
Trump’s tweets were similar to those he has previously posted on the social media site when discussing the Mueller investigation. The president has often taken to Twitter to deny there was ever any collusion or obstruction, to accuse the Democrats of committing a crime in carrying out the investigation, and to try and deflect the attention to Hillary Clinton and her emails.
Opening Salvos
At approximately 7:30 a.m. EST on Tuesday night, Trump reiterated what he’s been saying for over a year about the Mueller investigation: that it’s a “rigged witch hunt.”
Just got back only to hear of a last minute change allowing a Never Trumper attorney to help Robert Mueller with his testimony before Congress tomorrow. What a disgrace to our system. Never heard of this before. VERY UNFAIR, SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. A rigged Witch Hunt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2019
Trump appears to have been referring to Aaron Zebley — one of Mueller’s longtime aides, as he’s described by NBC News. Mueller’s team made a “last-minute” request to have Zebley sworn in so that he could testify along with Mueller. Trump referred to Zebley as a “Never Trumper” attorney in a follow-up tweet.
“So Robert Mueller has now asked for his long time Never Trumper lawyer to sit beside him and help with answers. What’s this all about?” he tweeted.
In the midst of his tweets about Zebley was a dig at Fox News. Trump has been critical of the network as of late.
Just watched Rep. Eric Swalwell be asked endless softball questions by @marthamaccallum on @FoxNews about the phony Witch Hunt. He was just forced out of the Democrat Presidential Primary because he polled at ZERO. Fox sure ain’t what it used to be. Too bad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2019
Wednesday Morning
Beginning early Wednesday morning, Trump continued his tweetstorm, first by accusing the Democrats of committing a crime in carrying out the investigation.
So Democrats and others can illegally fabricate a crime, try pinning it on a very innocent President, and when he fights back against this illegal and treasonous attack on our Country, they call It Obstruction? Wrong! Why didn’t Robert Mueller investigate the investigators?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
He then reiterated his displeasure at Zebley’s involvement and called the entire affair a “witch hunt.”
It was NEVER agreed that Robert Mueller could use one of his many Democrat Never Trumper lawyers to sit next to him and help him with his answers. This was specifically NOT agreed to, and I would NEVER have agreed to it. The Greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history, by far!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
He then tried to bring Hillary Clinton into the conversation in two consecutive tweets, in which he named some other figures he believes deserve investigation.
Why didn’t Robert Mueller & his band of 18 Angry Democrats spend any time investigating Crooked Hillary Clinton, Lyin’ & Leakin’ James Comey, Lisa Page and her Psycho lover, Peter S, Andy McCabe, the beautiful Ohr family, Fusion GPS, and many more, including HIMSELF & Andrew W?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
So why didn’t the highly conflicted Robert Mueller investigate how and why Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted and acid washed 33,000 Emails immediately AFTER getting a SUBPOENA from the United States Congress? She must have GREAT lawyers!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
Two follow-up tweets didn’t mention the investigation specifically, but do reference Trump’s talking points.
“NO COLLUSION NO OBSTRUCTION!”
“KEEP AMERICA GREAT!”
Trump then accused Mueller of lying about how he got the job of FBI Director, suggesting obliquely that Mueller is committing perjury in his testimony.
It has been reported that Robert Mueller is saying that he did not apply and interview for the job of FBI Director (and get turned down) the day before he was wrongfully appointed Special Counsel. Hope he doesn’t say that under oath in that we have numerous witnesses to the…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
….interview, including the Vice President of the United States!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
Trump’s last tweet, at the time of this writing, about the Mueller testimony came at 8:18 a.m. EST. However, the Mueller testimony will continue all day Wednesday, so it’s certainly possible Trump will be tweeting more on the topic as the day goes on.
