Trump Lashes Out, Decries Dem Double Standard on 'Foreign Dirt'
Amid hand-wringing from Democrats who said they were outraged by President Donald Trump’s claim that he would accept foreign nations’ opposition research on political rivals, Trump doubled down Thursday and said Democrats were using a double standard to judge him.
Trump was asked in an ABC interview whether he would want to see information against an opponent if it came from a foreign government or whether he would contact the FBI.
“I think maybe you do both,” Trump said, according to ABC. “I think you might want to listen, there isn’t anything wrong with listening. If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said] ‘We have information on your opponent’ — oh, I think I’d want to hear it.”
Trump expanded upon his comments in a series of tweets.
“I meet and talk to ‘foreign governments’ every day. I just met with the Queen of England (U.K.), the Prince of Wales, the P.M. of the United Kingdom, the P.M. of Ireland, the President of France and the President of Poland. We talked about ‘Everything!’ Should I immediately call the FBI about these calls and meetings? How ridiculous! I would never be trusted again. With that being said, my full answer is rarely played by the Fake News Media. They purposely leave out the part that matters,” he tweeted.
….call the FBI about these calls and meetings? How ridiculous! I would never be trusted again. With that being said, my full answer is rarely played by the Fake News Media. They purposely leave out the part that matters.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2019
Democrats had pounced upon Trump’s initial comments.
Disgraceful yet sadly par for the course for this president.
When the president talks like this, it’s no wonder @SenateMajLdr McConnell is blocking bipartisan efforts to secure our elections from foreign interference. https://t.co/AOHAlS5pOs
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 13, 2019
Let me make it clear for @realDonaldTrump, I will never take dirt from a foreign adversary — EVEN if it means beating someone as corrupt as you. *But Trump said every Congressman would take the help. So, every @HouseGOP member should have to answer this: is Trump right?
— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) June 13, 2019
President Trump is once again welcoming foreign interference in our elections. This isn’t about politics. It is a threat to our national security. An American President should not seek their aid and abet those who seek to undermine democracy.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 13, 2019
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed Trump as well, Fox News reported. “It’s so against any sense of decency. There is a sense of decency about fruit from the forbidden tree. Everybody in this country should be totally appalled by what he said last night … so totally unethical, that he doesn’t even realize. He probably doesn’t know the difference between right and wrong, and that’s probably the nicest thing I can say about him,” she said.
Trump then fired a Twitter volley noting that when Democrats have the chance to get information from foreign governments, they do not shy away from the opportunity.
“When Senator @MarkWarnerVA spoke at length, and in great detail, about extremely negative information on me, with a talented entertainer purporting to be a Russian Operative, did he immediately call the FBI? NO, in fact he didn’t even tell the Senate Intelligence Committee of which he is a member. When @RepAdamSchiff took calls from another person, also very successfully purporting to be a Russian Operative, did he call the FBI, or even think to call the FBI? NO! The fact is that the phony Witch Hunt is a giant scam where Democrats, and other really bad people, SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN! They even had an “insurance policy” just in case Crooked Hillary Clinton and the Democrats lost their race for the Presidency! This is the biggest & worst political scandal in the history of the United States of America. Sad!” Trump tweeted.
When Senator @MarkWarnerVA spoke at length, and in great detail, about extremely negative information on me, with a talented entertainer purporting to be a Russian Operative, did he immediately call the FBI? NO, in fact he didn’t even tell the Senate Intelligence Committee of….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2019
During his interview, Trump said that there are nuances in the flow of information that need to be considered.
“It’s not an interference, they have information — I think I’d take it,” Trump said. “If I thought there was something wrong, I’d go maybe to the FBI — if I thought there was something wrong. But when somebody comes up with oppo research, right, they come up with oppo research, ‘Oh let’s call the FBI.’ The FBI doesn’t have enough agents to take care of it. When you go and talk, honestly, to congressman, they all do it, they always have and that’s the way it is. It’s called oppo research.”
In the ABC interview, Trump said reality and theory are different.
“Somebody comes up and says, ‘Hey, I have information on your opponent,’ do you call the FBI? I’ll tell you what, I’ve seen a lot of things over my life. I don’t think in my whole life I’ve ever called the FBI. In my whole life. You don’t call the FBI. You throw somebody out of your office, you do whatever you do. Oh, give me a break – life doesn’t work that way,” he said.
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