Donald Trump calls for stronger US libel laws after Michael Wolff's Fire and Fury book
Updated
United States President Donald Trump has said his administration will examine whether US libel laws can be strengthened after a new book questioned his mental fitness to serve as the nation's commander in chief.
Key points:
- Donald Trump says defamed people need access to meaningful recourse in courts
- President says Democrats know there was no Russia collusion
- Republicans urged to "finally take control" of Russia investigation
"Our current libel laws are a sham and a disgrace and do not represent American values or American fairness, so we're going to take a strong look at that," he told reporters as he met members of his Cabinet.
In the book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, author Michael Wolff questions Mr Trump's mental fitness, portraying him as childlike with a short attention span.
"We are going to take a strong look at our country's libel laws so that when somebody says something that is false and defamatory about someone, that person will have meaningful recourse in our courts," Mr Trump said.
"You can't say things that are false, knowingly false, and be able to smile as money pours into your bank account."
To prove libel, a public figure must show a writer or publisher acted with actual malice in publishing a false statement.
Malice is either reckless or purposeful disregard for the truth.
Republicans urged to 'take control' of Russia investigation
Meanwhile, Mr Trump had the Russia investigation in his sights, again labelling it the greatest witch hunt in political history and appearing to call on Republicans to shut it down.
In a tweet, Mr Trump claimed even Democrats know there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia.
Mr Trump accused Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein of being "underhanded and a disgrace" for disclosing details of a dossier of allegations about his ties to Russia during the campaign.
Earlier this week, Senator Feinstein, who faces a primary challenge in her re-election this year, released the transcript of the Senate Judiciary Committee's closed-door August interview with an official from the political opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which commissioned the dossier.
According to the testimony of Fusion GPS head Glenn Simpson, an associate of Mr Trump expressed concerns to the FBI about contacts between Russia and Mr Trump's presidential election campaign team, helping to trigger the probe into possible collusion.
"The fact that Sneaky Dianne Feinstein, who has on numerous occasions stated that collusion between Trump/Russia has not been found, would release testimony in such an underhanded and possibly illegal way, totally without authorisation, is a disgrace," Mr Trump tweeted.
"Must have tough Primary!"
Mr Trump said Russia and the world were laughing at the stupidity of the United States for allowing the probe led by special counsel Robert Muller to continue and appeared to call for Republicans to intervene.
"The single greatest Witch Hunt in American history continues," he wrote in another tweet.
"There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, & yet on and on it goes.
"Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!"
Reuters/AP
Topics: world-politics, donald-trump, laws, law-crime-and-justice, united-states
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