Trump after Mueller report release: ‘I’m having a good day’
President Trump on Thursday framed special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the now-closed Russia investigation as a complete vindication, in his first response after its release.
Speaking at an event with wounded military service members, Trump noted they were having a “good day” at the White House and added that he was as well.
{mosads}“I’m having a good day too. It was called ‘no collusion. No obstruction.’ I’m having a good time,” Trump said to applause in the East Room. “There never was, by the way, and there never will be.”
His remarks came just minutes after the Justice Department published the report, which detailed Mueller’s findings in his two-year investigation into Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and links to the Trump campaign.
Trump said “we do have to get to the bottom of these things,” referring to his call to investigate the origins of the Russia probe.
“This should never happen to another president again, this hoax,” he said.
Even before the report became public, Trump was taking a victory lap and targeting federal investigators and Democrats in an apparent effort to steer media coverage in a positive direction.
The president tweeted a photo inspired by the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones” that showed him staring into a fog with the text “No collusion. No obstruction. For the haters and the radical left Democrats—Game Over” written on top.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2019
“Though we can understand the enthusiasm for Game of Thrones now that the final season has arrived, we still prefer our intellectual property not be used for political purposes,” HBO responded in a statement.
Trump’s tweet capped off a barrage of messages on Thursday morning hours before the report’s release.
One tweet contained video of him saying “I do have the right to fight back” and another labeled the investigation “The Greatest Political Hoax of all time!” in which “crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats.”
No Collusion – No Obstruction! pic.twitter.com/diggF8V3hl
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2019
The Greatest Political Hoax of all time! Crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2019
“PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT!” he wrote in another tweet.
PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2019
The 448-page report contained 10 instances that were investigated for possible obstruction of justice committed by Trump.
Mueller did not make a decision whether to accuse Trump of obstruction but wrote that “if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state.”
Mueller also published Trump’s written responses to questions about his actions, which had previously been private. His office called the answers inadequate but opted against pursuing a subpoena for a formal interview because of the lengthy legal battle it might have triggered.
Updated at 1:07 p.m.
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