President Donald Trump tweeted about Special Counsel Robert Mueller just after noon on Thursday, but the measured wording and tone of tweet had some reporters immediately speculating that he didn’t write it.
I have agreed with the historically cooperative, disciplined approach that we have engaged in with Robert Mueller (Unlike the Clintons!). I have full confidence in Ty Cobb, my Special Counsel, and have been fully advised throughout each phase of this process.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2018
“I have agreed with the historically cooperative, disciplined approach that we have engaged in with Robert Mueller (Unlike the Clintons!),” the president tweeted. “I have full confidence in Ty Cobb, my Special Counsel, and have been fully advised throughout each phase of this process.”
Maggie Haberman of the New York Times initially reacted to the tweet by calling it “a bit abstract.” When the Washington Post‘s Josh Dawsey asked “who wrote this one?” Haberman guessed Ty Cobb.
who wrote this one? https://t.co/MCgtkxtKtC
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) April 12, 2018
Gonna go with Ty Cobb https://t.co/aYaulikgTN
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 12, 2018
CBS News White House reporter Jacqueline Alemany also jumped in under the “disciplined approach” tweet to say she was told Trump, just yesterday, asked her source to go on TV and call for Mueller’s firing.
A source tells me that Trump called yesterday and asked source to go on TV to call for Trump to fire Mueller. https://t.co/BI9GU4vx9L
— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) April 12, 2018
Although not confirmed, it’s not necessarily a reach to think Trump didn’t write this tweet, and for two reasons.
First, a Trump lawyer has said he composed a tweet for the president before. Remember this one, about the firing of Michael Flynn?
I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies. It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful. There was nothing to hide!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 2, 2017
John Dowd, who would resign from Trump’s legal team on March 22, 2018, later said that he wrote it, even though that claim was met with skepticism.
Second, the tone about Mueller and ongoing investigations is noticeably different from what it’s been in recent days and from the beginning.
Consider these:
Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation, headed up by the all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for Obama. Mueller is most conflicted of all (except Rosenstein who signed FISA & Comey letter). No Collusion, so they go crazy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018
A TOTAL WITCH HUNT!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 10, 2018
Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added…does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2018
The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime. It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2018
Measured, indeed.
[Image via Chris Kleponis, Pool/Getty Images]
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