Following an exclusive CNN report earlier Thursday which concluded that Donald Trump was not the mysterious second party who spoke to Donald Trump Jr. on the phone ahead of the infamous Trump Tower meeting with the Russians, the commander-in-chief took something of a victory lap on Twitter.
In a Thursday evening tweet, the president swiped at the media and Democrats for speculating that he might have participated in those calls.
“Just out: The big deal, very mysterious Don jr telephone calls, after the innocent Trump Tower meeting, that the media & Dems said were made to his father (me), were just conclusively found NOT to be made to me,” Trump wrote. “They were made to friends & business associates of Don. Really sad!”
Just out: The big deal, very mysterious Don jr telephone calls, after the innocent Trump Tower meeting, that the media & Dems said were made to his father (me), were just conclusively found NOT to be made to me. They were made to friends & business associates of Don. Really sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2019 [1]
Trump did not credit CNN — a favorite media target — for breaking the story about his not having made the calls.
Some people on Twitter felt Trump was throwing his son under the bus, since we all know the Trump Tower meeting was anything but “innocent:”
OMG is Jr getting indicted tomorrow? Because this is the tweet of a panicky criminal toddler with a slimy criminal son who's getting a little worried. Should I start chilling the 2nd tier champagne? https://t.co/II4IPkMLnR [2]
— Ky Johnson (@KyinHI) February 1, 2019 [3]
lol he's gonna sell out don jr so fucking fast https://t.co/mPMcXzteqO [4]
— Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) February 1, 2019 [5]
We are all looking forward to inevitable the tweet in a few months that says, "I barely knew him. His book is full of lies." https://t.co/WvK0Cw4TtJ [6]
— TOᑭ ᖇOᑭE TᖇAViS (@TopRopeTravis) February 1, 2019 [7]
Trump distances himself from his eldest son.
Recall that Trump dictated the misleading statement Don Jr released after the Trump Tower meeting came to light. https://t.co/sp9Df1wLW3 [8]
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 1, 2019 [9]
*thump, thump…thump, thump*
Hear that sound?
That’s the sound of Trump throwing his eldest son under the bus. pic.twitter.com/K7jxbn97Mz [10]
— Leah McElrath (@leahmcelrath) February 1, 2019 [11]
But Trump wasn’t done, he fired off two additional tweets:
Nellie Ohr, the wife of DOJ official Bruce Ohr, was long ago investigating for pay (GPS Fusion) members of my family, feeding it to her husband who was then giving it to the FBI, even though it was created by ousted & discredited Christopher Steele. Illegal! WITCH HUNT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2019 [12]
This Witch Hunt must end! https://t.co/3og7H4uUw2 [13]
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2019 [14]