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| President Trump Escalates Criticism of F.B.I. Role in Russia Inquiry | President Trump Escalates Criticism of F.B.I. Role in Russia Inquiry |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Trump escalated his criticism of the F.B.I. on Friday over its investigation of possible links between Russia and his campaign, adding a new round of his own complaints to a growing conservative effort to discredit the inquiry. | WASHINGTON — President Trump escalated his criticism of the F.B.I. on Friday over its investigation of possible links between Russia and his campaign, adding a new round of his own complaints to a growing conservative effort to discredit the inquiry. |
| “It’s a shame what’s happened with the F.B.I.,” the president told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before departing for an event at the F.B.I. Academy in Quantico, Va. “It’s a very sad thing to watch.” | “It’s a shame what’s happened with the F.B.I.,” the president told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before departing for an event at the F.B.I. Academy in Quantico, Va. “It’s a very sad thing to watch.” |
| Without citing specifics, Mr. Trump described an extraordinary “level of anger” at the F.B.I. over the investigation. He labeled “disgraceful” recently released text messages between one of the agents on the investigation and a lawyer for the bureau who were critical of him. The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, removed the agent from the investigation when he learned of the texts. | Without citing specifics, Mr. Trump described an extraordinary “level of anger” at the F.B.I. over the investigation. He labeled “disgraceful” recently released text messages between one of the agents on the investigation and a lawyer for the bureau who were critical of him. The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, removed the agent from the investigation when he learned of the texts. |
| Mr. Trump’s latest attacks on the F.B.I. kept alive a rare public feud between a president and the nation’s premier law enforcement agency, friction that could be seen as Mr. Trump undermining faith in the integrity of an inquiry he has long derided as a “witch hunt.” They also came amid a campaign by congressional Republicans, conservative media and the president’s own lawyers to paint the inquiry as a partisan effort to weaken the president. | Mr. Trump’s latest attacks on the F.B.I. kept alive a rare public feud between a president and the nation’s premier law enforcement agency, friction that could be seen as Mr. Trump undermining faith in the integrity of an inquiry he has long derided as a “witch hunt.” They also came amid a campaign by congressional Republicans, conservative media and the president’s own lawyers to paint the inquiry as a partisan effort to weaken the president. |
| “I have nothing to do with Russia,” Mr. Trump said. “Everybody knows it. That was a Democrat hoax. It was an excuse for losing the election and it should never have been this way, where they spent all these millions of dollars.” | “I have nothing to do with Russia,” Mr. Trump said. “Everybody knows it. That was a Democrat hoax. It was an excuse for losing the election and it should never have been this way, where they spent all these millions of dollars.” |
| He also criticized the F.B.I.’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton and her use of a private email server, calling it a “scam.” The Justice Department closed that case without filing charges. | He also criticized the F.B.I.’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton and her use of a private email server, calling it a “scam.” The Justice Department closed that case without filing charges. |
| “They found tremendous things on the other side,” Mr. Trump said. “When you look at the Hillary Clinton investigation, it was — I’ve been saying for a long time — that was a rigged system.” | “They found tremendous things on the other side,” Mr. Trump said. “When you look at the Hillary Clinton investigation, it was — I’ve been saying for a long time — that was a rigged system.” |
| The president’s constant attacks have frustrated F.B.I. agents who say they see him as diminishing a proud organization and eroding its trust with the public. Other agents dismissed the president’s comments as empty rhetoric and said that many hope that Mr. Trump stops dragging the agency into the headlines and accusing it of being political. | |
| “The agents just want to be viewed as being referees who call balls and strikes and follow the evidence,” said James A. Gagliano, who spent more than two decades in the F.B.I. “The rank and file just want to return to normalcy. They want to dispel the notion that America should not trust its premier law enforcement agency.” | “The agents just want to be viewed as being referees who call balls and strikes and follow the evidence,” said James A. Gagliano, who spent more than two decades in the F.B.I. “The rank and file just want to return to normalcy. They want to dispel the notion that America should not trust its premier law enforcement agency.” |
| Democrats were also quick to defend the bureau. “The men and women of the F.B.I. are among the most professional and committed public servants in our nation, and the president’s comments this morning are gravely concerning,” Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware and member of the Judiciary Committee, said in an email response to questions. | Democrats were also quick to defend the bureau. “The men and women of the F.B.I. are among the most professional and committed public servants in our nation, and the president’s comments this morning are gravely concerning,” Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware and member of the Judiciary Committee, said in an email response to questions. |
| “American law enforcement officers, including those serving at the F.B.I. and training at the F.B.I. Academy where President Trump spoke, do not serve him personally, but serve all of us,” he added. | “American law enforcement officers, including those serving at the F.B.I. and training at the F.B.I. Academy where President Trump spoke, do not serve him personally, but serve all of us,” he added. |
| Asked at a news conference on Friday afternoon whether he agreed with Mr. Trump’s assessment of the F.B.I., Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not directly answer but praised the bureau. | Asked at a news conference on Friday afternoon whether he agreed with Mr. Trump’s assessment of the F.B.I., Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not directly answer but praised the bureau. |
| “The F.B.I. is doing a great job around the country,” he said, citing its work with other federal law enforcement agencies. | “The F.B.I. is doing a great job around the country,” he said, citing its work with other federal law enforcement agencies. |
| The president also said on Friday that it was premature to discuss whether he would pardon Michael T. Flynn, his former national security adviser who pleaded guilty this month to lying to the F.B.I. in connection with the investigation. | The president also said on Friday that it was premature to discuss whether he would pardon Michael T. Flynn, his former national security adviser who pleaded guilty this month to lying to the F.B.I. in connection with the investigation. |
| “I don’t want to talk about pardons for Michael Flynn yet,” Mr. Trump said. “We’ll see what happens. Let’s see. I can say this: When you look at what’s gone on with the F.B.I. and with the Justice Department, people are very, very angry.” | “I don’t want to talk about pardons for Michael Flynn yet,” Mr. Trump said. “We’ll see what happens. Let’s see. I can say this: When you look at what’s gone on with the F.B.I. and with the Justice Department, people are very, very angry.” |
| The president had said after Mr. Flynn’s guilty plea that the reputation of the F.B.I. was “in tatters” and its standing with the public was the “worst in history.” | The president had said after Mr. Flynn’s guilty plea that the reputation of the F.B.I. was “in tatters” and its standing with the public was the “worst in history.” |
| Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director, defended the agency in testimony to Congress and in a letter to nearly 37,000 agents and support staff, saying that he was “inspired by example after example of professionalism and dedication to justice demonstrated around the bureau.” | Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director, defended the agency in testimony to Congress and in a letter to nearly 37,000 agents and support staff, saying that he was “inspired by example after example of professionalism and dedication to justice demonstrated around the bureau.” |
| Mr. Trump did not repeat his criticism at the F.B.I. Academy event, a ceremony to honor local police officers and sheriffs who had received specialized training. He sat alongside Mr. Wray and Mr. Sessions. At the end of the event, Mr. Trump even thanked the F.B.I. | Mr. Trump did not repeat his criticism at the F.B.I. Academy event, a ceremony to honor local police officers and sheriffs who had received specialized training. He sat alongside Mr. Wray and Mr. Sessions. At the end of the event, Mr. Trump even thanked the F.B.I. |