Trump Blasts Comey as 'Weak and Untruthful Slimeball,' Calls for Prosecution
A war of words between former FBI Director James Comey and President Donald Trump escalated this week amid the release of passages from Comey’s upcoming memoir.
After excerpts from “A Higher Loyalty: Truth Lies and Leadership” revealed Comey’s assessment that Trump is “unethical” and “untethered to truth and institutional values,” the president responded in a fiery rant that spanned two tweets early Friday morning.
“James Comey is a proven LEAKER & LIAR,” Trump wrote. “Virtually everyone in Washington thought he should be fired for the terrible job he did-until he was, in fact, fired.”
The president went on to celebrate his own decision to fire Comey nearly a year ago, a move that played a central role in the subsequent appointment of Department of Justice special counsel Robert Mueller to an investigation that remains open.
Calling for more than the loss of a job, Trump wrote that Comey “leaked CLASSIFIED information, for which he should be prosecuted.”
Though the executive tweet offered little context for latest accusation, Trump is apparently referencing Comey’s admission that he played a role in the release of a memo last year detailing the nature of a conversation between the two men.
Trump’s statement on the ousted FBI chief included a description of Comey as “a weak and … untruthful slime ball” who was “a terrible Director of the FBI.”
James Comey is a proven LEAKER & LIAR. Virtually everyone in Washington thought he should be fired for the terrible job he did-until he was, in fact, fired. He leaked CLASSIFIED information, for which he should be prosecuted. He lied to Congress under OATH. He is a weak and…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 13, 2018
….untruthful slime ball who was, as time has proven, a terrible Director of the FBI. His handling of the Crooked Hillary Clinton case, and the events surrounding it, will go down as one of the worst “botch jobs” of history. It was my great honor to fire James Comey!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 13, 2018
Some Republicans have joined in Trump’s attempt to discredit Comey ahead of the book release.
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel defended the organization’s launch of “Lyin’ Comey,” a website meant to cast doubt on the accuracy of the former FBI chief’s public statements.
“James Comey’s publicity tour is a self-serving attempt to make money and rehabilitate his own image,” she said. “Comey is a liar and a leaker, and his misconduct led both Republicans and Democrats to call for his firing. If Comey wants the spotlight back on him, we’ll make sure the American people understand why he has no one but himself to blame for his complete lack of credibility.”
Nevertheless, critics — including prominent conservatives — have once again lamented Trump’s use of demeaning language in reference to those he sees as political enemies.
Lincoln: "The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union"
Trump: "slime ball"
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) April 13, 2018
Joe Walsh, a radio host and former congressman, warned fellow conservatives who celebrate Trump’s behavior are helping Democrats ensure widespread midterm victories in November.
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