In Tweet Storm, Trump Warns Comey, Suggests Ending Press Briefings

In a series of tweets early Friday morning, President Trump addressed a variety of political topics, including his dismissal of James Comey as FBI director and the ensuing backlash, and his difficult relationship with the media.

First, Trump once again insisted that the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election were created by his political opponents:

Again, the story that there was collusion between the Russians & Trump campaign was fabricated by Dems as an excuse for losing the election.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017

He then attacked the press directly, writing:

The Fake Media is working overtime today!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017

This led him to float the idea of canceling press briefings entirely — “for the sake of accuracy”:

As a very active President with lots of things happening, it is not possible for my surrogates to stand at podium with perfect accuracy!….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017

…Maybe the best thing to do would be to cancel all future “press briefings” and hand out written responses for the sake of accuracy???

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017

Then, switching gears slightly, he addressed Comey in a tweet many viewed as a threat:

James Comey better hope that there are no “tapes” of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017

Trump concluded the tweet storm with another message focused on the Russia allegations:

When James Clapper himself, and virtually everyone else with knowledge of the witch hunt, says there is no collusion, when does it end?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017

Numerous officials weighed in on Trump’s tweet about Comey, including legal experts and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee:

Mr. President, if there are “tapes” relevant to the Comey firing, it’s because you made them and they should be provided to Congress. https://t.co/rztyxG6Ytt

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 12, 2017

Implied threat of releasing secretly recorded “tapes” is illegal extortionate act by Trump against Comey. #Dems https://t.co/BYptxHHsGo… pic.twitter.com/AlJOvwc23N

— Dario Navarro (@darionavarro111) May 12, 2017

Thanks for the heads up, Donald. Congressional investigators should certainly subpoena Trump-Comey tapes.

— Jeffrey D. Sachs (@JeffDSachs) May 12, 2017

Others expressed intense concern about Trump’s threat to end press briefings:

Trump has now called the press “the enemy of the people” and has suggested banning press briefings. This is scarily authoritarian.

— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) May 12, 2017

To review, Trump told us his staff can’t be accurate because they’re busy, suggested taking away press briefings, and threatened Comey.

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) May 12, 2017

This is official off the rails. The presidency is coming apart… https://t.co/T8KxdvLXdd

— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) May 12, 2017

It was a busy morning on Twitter, as numerous users also zeroed in on a letter released by the White House on Friday morning. The letter, focused on Trump’s tax returns, states that Trump has no financial ties to Russia — “with a few exceptions.” That phrase quickly went viral, as many users tweeted with the hashtag #withfewexceptions to criticize the hypocrisy of the statement.

Trump’s tweet storm came after intense fallout from Comey’s firing — a reaction apparently not anticipated by the White House. Trump appears to have grown increasingly distressed over allegations of Russian involvement in U.S. politics. According to Politico, he has “repeatedly asked aides why the Russia investigation wouldn’t disappear and demanded they speak out for him” and will “sometimes scream at television clips about the probe.”

Instead, numerous politicians and journalists are calling for an independent investigation into Russian influence.

—Posted by Emma Niles