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This column provides a daily update on key presidential actions as well as comments, whether spoken aloud or on Twitter, by President Trump. Like the stock market, the deadline for Trump Today action is 4 p.m. Eastern time, even as we acknowledge that substantive news can and does occur after hours.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged his attorney general to stop the probe into Russian election interference, as he held meetings with inner city pastors and was scheduled to host Republican senators.
TRUMP PRESSURES SESSIONS
On Twitter, Trump said Attorney General Jeff Sessions should end special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe “right now,” repeating his charge that the investigation is a “witch hunt.” Trump’s tweet came on the second day of the trial of his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort — the first case that Mueller’s team has taken before a jury.
Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s attorney, said that Trump was “expressing his opinion” with his tweet, and that the president didn’t and won’t issue any order. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that Trump was “fighting back,” not obstructing the investigation.
The charges against Manafort are related to activities that predate his involvement with the Trump campaign. In a separate tweet, Trump referenced “old charges” that he said have nothing to do with collusion. And in another he asked who had been treated worse, Manafort or Al Capone.
Mueller was actually appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, following Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from investigations related to the 2016 presidential race.
..This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
Looking back on history, who was treated worse, Alfonse Capone, legendary mob boss, killer and “Public Enemy Number One,” or Paul Manafort, political operative & Reagan/Dole darling, now serving solitary confinement - although convicted of nothing? Where is the Russian Collusion?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
SENATORS, PASTORS AT WHITE HOUSE
In addition to meeting with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Trump huddled with inner city pastors and was scheduled to meet with GOP senators.
The meeting with senators comes as Trump has been threatening a government shutdown unless his immigration priorities are funded. Government funding expires Sept. 30.
Calling into Rush Limbaugh’s radio show, Trump said a shutdown before the November midterm elections would be a more effective way to win money for his proposed border wall. But he said about congressional Republicans, “they’d rather do it after, they don’t agree on doing it before, and I accept their opinion.”
Robert Schroeder is the White House reporter for MarketWatch. Follow him on Twitter @mktwrobs.
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