Trump Tries To Clean Up Foreign Dirt Comments

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 22: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election in the Rose Garden at the White House May 22, 2019 in Washi... WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 22: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election in the Rose Garden at the White House May 22, 2019 in Washington, DC. Trump responded to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying he was engaged in a cover up. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

President Donald Trump — with a forceful guiding hand from the “Fox and Friends” hosts — tried to clean up his comments on accepting foreign “oppo research” about his political enemies Friday morning.

“I don’t think anybody would present me with anything because they know how much I love the country,” he said of foreign governments offering him intel. “If I don’t listen, you are not going to know. If I thought anything was incorrect or badly stated I’d report it to attorney general, the FBI, I’d report it to law enforcement absolutely.”

He dodged out of a more specific question though, when host Brian Kilmeade presented him with a hypothetical situation of a world leader offering him damaging information on a political opponent in the course of a normal meeting or summit.

“The President of the United States, no matter who it is, whether it’s me or anybody else, is in a much different position because I hear things that frankly, good, bad or indifferent that other people don’t hear, just in normal conversation,” Trump replied. “But nobody is going to say bad things to me, they know I’m a very straight player, they know one thing about me: I love the country more than anything.”

Trump’s comments, that he would accept dirt from foreign entities and would not necessarily turn it over to the FBI, proved difficult for his TV allies to spin — Kilmeade in particularly urged him to “clarify” his remarks — and even prodded Republican lawmakers to gently criticize the President.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. " Don*t worry Mr Presidunce , we will help you out of this mess you created " .

  2. Brawndo. It’s got what plants crave.

  3. “But nobody is going to say bad things to me, they know I’m a very straight player, they know one thing about me: I love the country more than anything.”

    Posted without comment.

    Because there’s not enough time or space to list all the ways this is laughable.

  4. Note to Fox News: fake president needs to repudiate not clarify his comments. You’re dealing with a silk purse, sow’s ear problem - good luck with that, comrades.

  5. His comments to Stephanopoulos are an inflection point in this election cycle. It did communicate something profound to Americans across the country. It’s unsettling. We now expect that Trump will cheat to make up any gap between himself and the Democratic nominee. He will also offer to his GOP members running on the ballot that they’ll be beneficiaries too if they just shut their mouths.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

115 more replies

Participants

Avatar for sedonaz Avatar for ajm Avatar for austin_dave Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for UnfadingGreen Avatar for jep07 Avatar for clemmers Avatar for 1gg Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for rick Avatar for sickneffintired Avatar for esva Avatar for clauscph Avatar for lizzymom Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for khyber900 Avatar for dannydorko Avatar for erik_t Avatar for bashful Avatar for redhand Avatar for karenldr2009 Avatar for atldrew Avatar for faydout Avatar for Thane

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: