Trump: Nothing wrong with accepting dirt from foreign governments on opponents

[webfact]

Trump: Nothing wrong with accepting dirt from foreign governments on opponents

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a joint news conference with Poland's President Andrzej Dudain (not shown) in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 12, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would see nothing wrong in accepting damaging information on a U.S. political opponent if it were offered to his re-election campaign by a foreign government.

 

Asked in an interview with ABC News if he would accept the information or alert the FBI, Trump said: "I think maybe you do both. I think you might want to listen, there's nothing wrong with listening."

 

"If somebody called from a country, Norway, 'we have information on your opponent' - oh, I think I'd want to hear it," Trump said.

 

Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. was questioned by a U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday in a closed session about a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York in which a Russian lawyer had offered damaging information on Hillary Clinton, the elder Trump's Democratic opponent in the 2016 presidential election.

 

The younger Trump, on learning the topic of the meeting, had written in an email: "I love it." But people who attended the meeting said later it focused on other matters.

 

Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigated the meeting as part of his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. He documented extensive contacts between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia, but did not establish that members of the campaign conspired with Moscow.

 

Speaking to ABC News on Wednesday, Trump said he disagreed with FBI Director Christopher Wray, who told Congress last month that political campaigns should contact the agency about any suspicious communications from a foreign government.

 

"The FBI director is wrong," Trump said.

 

"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,” Trump said. “Oh, give me a break – life doesn't work that way.”

 

Trump compared damaging information on an opponent supplied by a foreign government to opposition research conducted by all political campaigns.

 

"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."

 

(Reporting by Eric Beech and David Alexander; Editing by Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-13

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[keith101]

Publicly asking for help yet again from Russia , this time in getting re-elected but why would they after he has done nothing for them in regards to removing sanctions which is what they thought was going to happen after the first time in 2015/16 .

[Tug]

Wow combine this with him backing a despot that threatens to nuke us and our allies over our intelligence agency’s approaches or is treason just beyond contempt 

[Chomper Higgot]

Classic Trump tactics.

 

1. Deny accusation.

2. Continue denying accusation when evidence proves he’s wrong.

3. Continue denial to the point of farce.

4. Switch to gaslighting the idea that what he’s done isn’t wrong/a crime.

[FritsSikkink]

The feds don't need to interview him, he can't shut up and will implicate himself voluntarily.

[TopDeadSenter]

Trump is right, again. In light of the extreme and unending( some would argue unhinged)resistance to his legitimate rule, he needs to use every arrow in his quiver. These are not normal times.

 

 Also good to see Trump riding roughshod over the FBI. I had expected after they lost all credibility in the last few years with their partisan politics games that Trump would replace the agency lock, stock and barrel. Maybe in his 2nd term there will be time for this?

[stevenl]

15 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Trump is right, again. In light of the extreme and unending( some would argue unhinged)resistance to his legitimate rule, he needs to use every arrow in his quiver. These are not normal times.

 

 Also good to see Trump riding roughshod over the FBI. I had expected after they lost all credibility in the last few years with their partisan politics games that Trump would replace the agency lock, stock and barrel. Maybe in his 2nd term there will be time for this?

So you don't mind foreign governments interfering as long as it suits you.

[Tug]

He is British or claimed to be a few months back he is just trolling

[attrayant]

53 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Trump is right, again.

 

 

I think you need to explain yourself.  You think it's okay for foreign adversarial governments to influence our elections? You don't see any reason why this might be a bad idea?

[quandow]

1 hour ago, attrayant said:

 

I think you need to explain yourself.  You think it's okay for foreign adversarial governments to influence our elections? You don't see any reason why this might be a bad idea?

This guy just takes the Trump side regardless of the facts. In this case, it is illegal to accept anything or the promise of anything from a foreign government - quid pro quo is against the law. Another case of people accepting Trump even if he shot someone on 5th Ave or started throwing kittens into a wood chipper.

[Somtamnication]

LOL. He just admitted to collusion. What an idiot genius!

[Sujo]

2 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Trump is right, again. In light of the extreme and unending( some would argue unhinged)resistance to his legitimate rule, he needs to use every arrow in his quiver. These are not normal times.

 

 Also good to see Trump riding roughshod over the FBI. I had expected after they lost all credibility in the last few years with their partisan politics games that Trump would replace the agency lock, stock and barrel. Maybe in his 2nd term there will be time for this?

So you dont agree with the head of the fbi and the attorney general. His own attorney general.

 

A law degree from Trump university i imagine.

[Jingthing]

Publicly asking for help yet again from Russia , this time in getting re-elected but why would they after he has done nothing for them in regards to removing sanctions which is what they thought was going to happen after the first time in 2015/16 .

Time to begin the impeachment process.

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[Misty]

2 hours ago, quandow said:

This guy just takes the Trump side regardless of the facts. In this case, it is illegal to accept anything or the promise of anything from a foreign government - quid pro quo is against the law. Another case of people accepting Trump even if he shot someone on 5th Ave or started throwing kittens into a wood chipper.

Any military personnel with a security clearance are required to report that type of foreign activity, or face losing their clearance and job. Why should the Commander in Chief be any different?

[Alan Michael]

Didn't the previous US administration do it against Trump with their fake news about Russian collusion? Didn't Obama do it with his anti Brexit rhetoric, so why not Trump?

An even playing field.

[bristolboy]

10 minutes ago, Alan Michael said:

Didn't the previous US administration do it against Trump with their fake news about Russian collusion? Didn't Obama do it with his anti Brexit rhetoric, so why not Trump?

An even playing field.

You're clearly confused. The question is whether Trump would accept information from foreign government to use against his opponents. Try to focus.

[paddypower]

i'm not the first to think of this ...but it will gain traction, as the 2020 presidentials get under way....LOCK HIM UP. Vote him out first, of course.

[Jingthing]

I don't agree. I think his base knew before that he is corrupt and is fine with that as long as they think he's on their side and continues to "own" the libs. He's like a folk hero to them and folk heroes are above the law of the regular people. 

[bristolboy]

32 minutes ago, Misty said:

No, I don't think that's correct.  Some (a minority) knew "who Trump was" during the 2016 election, but they were in the distinct minority. Those would be limited to some researchers, investigative journalists in the New York press, law enforcement, those he'd sued or screwed over in business.  Most of America, however, made their judgement from watching The Apprentice. 

 

Even now, most remaining supporters still are oblivious to, or ignoring, reality.  It's easy to do, if you can't bear the truth. But history won't be kind.

They certainly didn't know about his incompetence as a negotiator. All 4 times he went bankrupt it's because he got out negotiated. He paid way too much for the enterprises he was acquiring.

[Lacessit]

Trump would be outraged if any dirt was given to his opponents by a foreign government. America reminds me more every day of Orwell's 1984. Doublethink writ large.

[marcusarelus]

I think it's OK as long as it's from the British like the Steele report.  The Brits would never do anything to harm America and can be trusted.  

[scorecard]

So let's imagine the opposite, other government are accepting dirt on the clown.

 

Will he respond with 'never mind, that's all OK?

 

Doubt it, he will probably respond with anger, lies and BS.

[Boon Mee]

6 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Trump is right, again. In light of the extreme and unending( some would argue unhinged)resistance to his legitimate rule, he needs to use every arrow in his quiver. These are not normal times.

 

 Also good to see Trump riding roughshod over the FBI. I had expected after they lost all credibility in the last few years with their partisan politics games that Trump would replace the agency lock, stock and barrel. Maybe in his 2nd term there will be time for this?

 Yes, Trump's up coming second term will allow him more flexibility. Those with OTT TDS will have marginalized themselves to the point no one pays them the time of day. 

[Longcut]

6 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Classic Trump tactics.

 

1. Deny accusation.

2. Continue denying accusation when evidence proves he’s wrong.

3. Continue denial to the point of farce.

4. Switch to gaslighting the idea that what he’s done isn’t wrong/a crime.

What evidence? Apparently, you're the only one that has any. 

 Would you mind sharing? I 

[attrayant]

10 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Those with OTT TDS will have marginalized themselves to the point no one pays them the time of day. 

 

I'm starting to wonder if you might actually be Trump when you say things like "no one pays them the time of day".

 

 

3 hours ago, Sujo said:

So you dont agree with the head of the fbi and the attorney general.

 

 

Or the actual law.  There is a law making this illegal.  Trump has no problem breaking that law.

[Misty]

58 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I don't agree. I think his base knew before that he is corrupt and is fine with that as long as they think he's on their side and continues to "own" the libs. He's like a folk hero to them and folk heroes are above the law of the regular people. 

Not the Trump voters I know.  A few may say they are okay with the idea that Trump is generally "corrupt" because they think all politicians and successful businessmen are "corrupt."  But press them on details and they really don't know the extent of it. 

[mtls2005]

"Norway, if you're listening".

 

Weird that he derides the STeele Dossier in one tweet, then says he'd accept something similar.

 

The takeaway here is that Don Jr. took the Fifth during Grand Jury testimony - and we all know what Dad thinks about wiseguys who take the fifth, hint: they're guilty - and trump knows this will come out so he's burning the ground to make junior's crimes seem well, less criminal.

 

 

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Trump would be outraged if any dirt was given to his opponents by a foreign government. America reminds me more every day of Orwell's 1984. Doublethink writ large.

Agree.  The very next question Trump should have been asked was "So it's ok if China or Iran or Mexico provides dirt on you to your opposition?"  I'm pretty sure Trump would be singing a different tune. 

[FritsSikkink]

7 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Trump is right, again. In light of the extreme and unending( some would argue unhinged)resistance to his legitimate rule, he needs to use every arrow in his quiver. These are not normal times.

 

 Also good to see Trump riding roughshod over the FBI. I had expected after they lost all credibility in the last few years with their partisan politics games that Trump would replace the agency lock, stock and barrel. Maybe in his 2nd term there will be time for this?

Nonsense, it is a criminal act 

[mtls2005]

7 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

In light of the extreme and unending( some would argue unhinged)resistance to his legitimate rule, he needs to use every arrow in his quiver.

 

Awesome sentence, if a bit overly dramatic. #dramaqueen

 

 

Some would argue the trumpers are the ones who are unhinged? Or at least capable of basically defending anything he says or does. Bravo.

 

"legitimate rule"? Wow. All hail Emperor Donald, keep those clothes on please.

 

Love the thought of trump using a bow and arrow, "Oops sorry Melania".