Trump Kicks Off Mueller Day With Greatest Hits of Attacks Against Special Counsel

The president took aim at Clinton, McCabe, Comey—and even suggested Mueller should have investigated himself.

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 24:U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media about the Mueller report before departing from the White House on July 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. Today former special counsel Robert Mueller testified before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees on his reports findings. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)Mark Wilson/Getty

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With the clock ticking before former special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony before Congress, President Donald Trump blasted the highly anticipated hearings as unfair and falsely accused his political opponents of fabricating crimes against him. 

The president also complained about a last-minute request by Mueller to have his longtime aide, Aaron Zebley, testify with him as a witness before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees. The Judiciary Committee ultimately denied the request but allowed Zebley to appear with Mueller should the former special counsel require assistance during the hearings.

Still, Trump framed the arrangement as a violation of what had been agreed upon, even though the White House lacks a role in determining how the hearings are organized. He continued his rant by taking aim at Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Andrew McCabe, and other usual targets, even suggesting that Mueller should have investigated himself.

Trump’s latest outburst against Mueller, delivered in a series of tweets, came as Mueller prepares to answer lawmakers’ questions on the findings of the Russia investigation. Committee Republicans are likely to echo the president’s longstanding attacks against the special counsel while resurrecting a number of Deep State conspiracy theories designed to discredit the special counsel’s two-and-a-half-year probe.

DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

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DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

Mother Jones was founded to do journalism differently. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after stories others don’t. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, because the kind of truth-telling investigations we do doesn’t happen under corporate ownership.

And we need your support like never before, to fight back against the existential threats American democracy faces. Fundraising for nonprofit media is always a challenge, and we need all hands on deck right now. We have no cushion; we leave it all on the field.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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