Amid Don Jr. Fallout, Trump Reportedly Channels Anger At His Personal Lawyer

Marc Kasowitz personal attorney of President Donald Trump, leaves a packed room at the National Press Club in Washington, Thursday, June 8, 2017 after delivering a statement following the congressional testimony of former FBI Director James Comey.    (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Marc Kasowitz personal attorney of President Donald Trump, leaves a packed room at the National Press Club in Washington, Thursday, June 8, 2017 after delivering a statement following the congressional testimony of f... Marc Kasowitz personal attorney of President Donald Trump, leaves a packed room at the National Press Club in Washington, Thursday, June 8, 2017 after delivering a statement following the congressional testimony of former FBI Director James Comey. Kasowitz, seized on former FBI Director James Comey's affirmation that he told Trump he was not personally under investigation. Though Comey said he interpreted Trump's comments as a directive to shut down the Flynn investigation, Kasowitz also maintained in his written statement that Comey's testimony showed that the president "never, in form or substance, directed or suggested that Mr. Comey stop investigating anyone, including suggesting that that Mr. Comey 'let Flynn go.'"(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

With questions about whether the Trump team colluded with Russian operatives during the 2016 campaign dominating headlines for yet another week, President Donald Trump has funneled much of his anger at Marc Kasowitz, the attorney leading his outside legal team, according to a New York Times report Tuesday night.

Trump has become “disillusioned by Mr. Kasowitz’s strategy” regarding the various probes into Russian interference in the U.S. election, the Times reported, citing three anonymous “people close to the legal team.”

Kasowitz, for his part, is also frustrated with the President, according to the report. His team of lawyers has been complaining about Jared Kushner’s influence on the President and considering whether Kasowitz should resign, per the Times:

The president’s lawyers view Mr. Kushner as an obstacle and a freelancer more concerned about protecting himself than his father-in-law, the person said. While no ultimatum has been delivered, the lawyers have told colleagues that they cannot keep operating that way, raising the prospect that Mr. Kasowitz may resign.

Kasowitz also told ProPublica recently that he does not have a security clearance and does not plan on trying to secure one, a move that could prove to be an obstacle as he tried to defend the President through investigations involving sensitive matters.

The latest headache for the Trump administration centers around a recently reported meeting Donald Trump, Jr. had in June 2016 with a Kremlin-linked lawyer (his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman, were also in attendance). Trump Jr. on Tuesday released emails showing that a publicist offered to set up the meeting with a “Russian government attorney” who supposedly had dirt on Hillary Clinton. The publicist also wrote explicitly that the meeting would be part of the Russian government’s efforts to help the Trump campaign, and Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting, apparently without hesitation.

The revelations assure that the Russia probes will continue to dominate media headlines, and the controversy has angered President Trump as he tries to push his policy agenda.

Latest Livewire
41
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Trump has become “disillusioned

    OMG, did a girlfriend land a gin bottle?

  2. Yep, it always somebody else’s fault with Donnie. Just like a petulant 5-year old.

    That being said, couldn’t happen to a more deserving shyster…

    Hopefully, the rest of the Drumpf Crime Family shysters will have the same outcome…

  3. They’ve now gone from Little League to the majors and none of them can cope with it.

    So, of course, the most logical and sensible thing to do is to turn it all into a feeding frenzy on each other.

  4. So, you’re basically saying that Kasowitz, Rump’s personal counsel, is repping Rump in a case of Russian collusion.

    But, he won’t have access to certain documents pertaining to Russian collusion because he doesn’t have security clearance.

    Therefore, he can’t really rep his client properly.

    If the incompetence wasn’t so staggering I might actually be worried for a moment there…

  5. But, he won’t have access to certain documents pertaining to Russian collusion because he doesn’t have security clearance.
    Therefore, he can’t really rep his client properly.

    Of course, as President Trump could change the security level on any document to give his lawyer access.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

35 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for frustum Avatar for ajoguy Avatar for daveminnj Avatar for brooklyndweller Avatar for deckbose Avatar for epicurus Avatar for voreason Avatar for mantan Avatar for joelopines Avatar for airportman Avatar for twowolves Avatar for cincypix Avatar for reggid Avatar for tena Avatar for joeschmo2014 Avatar for bkmn Avatar for tsp Avatar for caltg Avatar for unit44 Avatar for lizzymom Avatar for katscherger Avatar for aiddon Avatar for bluefalcon

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: