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NRaleighLiberal

(59,940 posts)
Sat May 13, 2017, 11:42 AM May 2017

TPM - "Isolated In White House, Trump Seethes Over Leaks In Wake Of Comey Firing"

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-angry-isolated-white-house-comey-firing

By JULIE PACE, and Jonathan Lemire Published MAY 13, 2017 9:21 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — After four months in office, President Donald Trump has become distrustful of some of his White House staff, heavily reliant on a handful of family members and longtime aides, and furious that the White House’s attempts to quell the firestorm over the FBI and congressional Russia investigations only seem to add more fuel.

Trump’s frustrations came to a head this week with the firing of FBI Director James Comey, who was overseeing the probe into his campaign’s possible ties to Russia’s election meddling. Fearful that his own team would leak the decision, Trump kept key staff in the dark as he pondered the dramatic move.

Chief strategist Steve Bannon learned on television. The communications staff charged with explaining the decision to the American people had an hour’s notice.

When the White House’s defense of the move failed to meet his ever-changing expectations, Trump tried to take over himself. But he wound up creating new headaches for the White House, including with an apparent threat to Comey.

“James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” Trump wrote on Twitter Friday morning.

For a White House accustomed to bouts of chaos, Trump’s handling of Comey’s firing could have serious and long-lasting implications. Already Trump’s decision appears to have emboldened the Senate intelligence committee investigating into Russia’s election interference and the president’s associates, with lawmakers announcing a subpoena for former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Comey’s allies also quickly made clear they would defend him against attacks from Trump, including disputing the president’s assertion that Comey told Trump he was not personally under investigation.


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last few paragraphs

Trump is mulling expanding the communications team and has eyed hiring producers from Fox News, according to one White House official.

White House officials had hoped last week’s House vote would give the president a much-needed burst of momentum and infuse new energy into efforts to fully overhaul the “Obamacare” health law and pass a massive tax reform package. Aides were also eager for Trump’s first foreign trip, a high-stakes blitz through the Middle East and Europe.

But the blowback from Comey’s firing left the White House reeling once again. Trump’s visible anger and erratic tweets prompted a reporter to ask Spicer on Friday if the president was “out of control.”

“That’s, frankly, offensive,” Spicer said

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TPM - "Isolated In White House, Trump Seethes Over Leaks In Wake Of Comey Firing" (Original Post) NRaleighLiberal May 2017 OP
I don't envy the WH staff NastyRiffraff May 2017 #1
K&R 2naSalit May 2017 #2
.. Cha May 2017 #3

NastyRiffraff

(12,448 posts)
1. I don't envy the WH staff
Sat May 13, 2017, 11:51 AM
May 2017

I don't feel sorry for them, either. They choose to stay with and defend a madman intent on destroying the country. They're no better than he is.

And then we have a Vice President who identifies as "Christian, a conservative and a Republican in that order." He left out "American" for a reason. America as it exists as a democracy is despised by the Christian right, and by most conservatives and Republicans.

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