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| Trump Says Mueller Was ‘Horrible’ and Republicans ‘Had a Good Day’ | Trump Says Mueller Was ‘Horrible’ and Republicans ‘Had a Good Day’ |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Trump declared himself vindicated by Wednesday’s congressional appearance of Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, calling it a “devastating” day for Democrats that exposed the Russia investigation as a “hoax” and a yearslong “phony cloud” over his head. | WASHINGTON — President Trump declared himself vindicated by Wednesday’s congressional appearance of Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, calling it a “devastating” day for Democrats that exposed the Russia investigation as a “hoax” and a yearslong “phony cloud” over his head. |
| Speaking to reporters as he boarded Marine One for a brief trip to West Virginia to host a fund-raiser, the president said that Mr. Mueller was “horrible” during his testimony before two House committees and in his handling of the investigation. | Speaking to reporters as he boarded Marine One for a brief trip to West Virginia to host a fund-raiser, the president said that Mr. Mueller was “horrible” during his testimony before two House committees and in his handling of the investigation. |
| “We had a good day today,” Mr. Trump said, echoing a sense of jubilation inside the White House that Democrats had failed in their bid to use Mr. Mueller to build a case for impeachment against the president. | “We had a good day today,” Mr. Trump said, echoing a sense of jubilation inside the White House that Democrats had failed in their bid to use Mr. Mueller to build a case for impeachment against the president. |
| “This was a devastating day for the Democrats,” Mr. Trump said, adding: “The Democrats had nothing. And now they have less than nothing. And I think they are going to lose the 2020 election very big, including congressional elections.” | “This was a devastating day for the Democrats,” Mr. Trump said, adding: “The Democrats had nothing. And now they have less than nothing. And I think they are going to lose the 2020 election very big, including congressional elections.” |
| “Today proved a lot to everybody,” he said. | “Today proved a lot to everybody,” he said. |
| Mr. Trump spent the morning in the White House residence, where he watched portions of the first hearing, according to people familiar with his activities. He went down to the Oval Office by the time the second hearing had begun, but he was not in front of a television for longer than 15 minutes at a time, according to one adviser. | Mr. Trump spent the morning in the White House residence, where he watched portions of the first hearing, according to people familiar with his activities. He went down to the Oval Office by the time the second hearing had begun, but he was not in front of a television for longer than 15 minutes at a time, according to one adviser. |
| He moved back and forth from the small dining room adjacent to the Oval Office to the Resolute Desk for a number of meetings, including one about prescription drug prices with two Republican representatives, Kevin McCarthy of California, the minority leader, and Mark Meadows of North Carolina. | He moved back and forth from the small dining room adjacent to the Oval Office to the Resolute Desk for a number of meetings, including one about prescription drug prices with two Republican representatives, Kevin McCarthy of California, the minority leader, and Mark Meadows of North Carolina. |
| Mr. Trump’s comments in the afternoon reflected the growing excitement inside the West Wing that Mr. Mueller had fallen flat in his performance. One person who spoke with Mr. Trump said he took note of Mr. Mueller’s physical appearance and halting response to some questions. | Mr. Trump’s comments in the afternoon reflected the growing excitement inside the West Wing that Mr. Mueller had fallen flat in his performance. One person who spoke with Mr. Trump said he took note of Mr. Mueller’s physical appearance and halting response to some questions. |
| “I think Robert Mueller did a horrible job, both today and with respect to the investigation,” Mr. Trump said, adding: “Obviously he did very poorly today. I don’t think there’s anybody — even among the fakers — I don’t think there’s anybody that would say he did well.” | “I think Robert Mueller did a horrible job, both today and with respect to the investigation,” Mr. Trump said, adding: “Obviously he did very poorly today. I don’t think there’s anybody — even among the fakers — I don’t think there’s anybody that would say he did well.” |
| Mr. Trump also panned Mr. Mueller’s performance during the seven hours of testimony, including retweeting critics of the special counsel’s appearance to 62 million followers throughout the morning hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. | Mr. Trump also panned Mr. Mueller’s performance during the seven hours of testimony, including retweeting critics of the special counsel’s appearance to 62 million followers throughout the morning hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. |
| “I would like to thank the Democrats for holding this morning’s hearing,” Mr. Trump wrote after Mr. Mueller testified in front of the Judiciary Committee and as the special counsel prepared to testify in front of the House Intelligence Committee, led by Representative Adam B. Schiff of California. | “I would like to thank the Democrats for holding this morning’s hearing,” Mr. Trump wrote after Mr. Mueller testified in front of the Judiciary Committee and as the special counsel prepared to testify in front of the House Intelligence Committee, led by Representative Adam B. Schiff of California. |
| “Now, after 3 hours, Robert Mueller has to subject himself to #ShiftySchiff - an Embarrassment to our Country!” Mr. Trump tweeted. | “Now, after 3 hours, Robert Mueller has to subject himself to #ShiftySchiff - an Embarrassment to our Country!” Mr. Trump tweeted. |
| The president had already given his online stamp of approval to a series of tweets critical of Mr. Mueller’s appearance. | The president had already given his online stamp of approval to a series of tweets critical of Mr. Mueller’s appearance. |
| “This has been a disaster for the Democrats and a disaster for the reputation of Robert Mueller,” Mr. Trump tweeted about 90 minutes after the first hearing began, attributing the comment to Chris Wallace, the host of “Fox News Sunday.” | “This has been a disaster for the Democrats and a disaster for the reputation of Robert Mueller,” Mr. Trump tweeted about 90 minutes after the first hearing began, attributing the comment to Chris Wallace, the host of “Fox News Sunday.” |
| A few minutes later, Mr. Trump retweeted Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, a conservative organization: “No collusion. No obstruction, No impeachment. Shut the coup cabal down!” | A few minutes later, Mr. Trump retweeted Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, a conservative organization: “No collusion. No obstruction, No impeachment. Shut the coup cabal down!” |
| The series of posts suggested that Mr. Trump was glued to the television as Mr. Mueller was grilled by lawmakers. And they appeared to confirm that the president was relieved by Mr. Mueller’s halting performance. | The series of posts suggested that Mr. Trump was glued to the television as Mr. Mueller was grilled by lawmakers. And they appeared to confirm that the president was relieved by Mr. Mueller’s halting performance. |
| That was certainly the message from some of the president’s top aides, who also began tweeting about Mr. Mueller. | That was certainly the message from some of the president’s top aides, who also began tweeting about Mr. Mueller. |
| In response to a tweet quoting Mr. Mueller as saying that his investigation did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired with the Russian government, Kellyanne Conway, the president’s counselor, wrote three words: “Drop the Mic!” | In response to a tweet quoting Mr. Mueller as saying that his investigation did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired with the Russian government, Kellyanne Conway, the president’s counselor, wrote three words: “Drop the Mic!” |
| Mr. Trump started shouting on Twitter before 7 a.m., venting about what he called the “Greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history” even as Mr. Mueller was headed to Capitol Hill. | Mr. Trump started shouting on Twitter before 7 a.m., venting about what he called the “Greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history” even as Mr. Mueller was headed to Capitol Hill. |
| By 8:10, the president had posted seven more times, delivering a kind of Twitter greatest hits — punctuated by capital letters and exclamation points — in which he portrayed himself as the innocent victim of an illegal crusade by Mr. Mueller, Democrats and the country’s intelligence community. | By 8:10, the president had posted seven more times, delivering a kind of Twitter greatest hits — punctuated by capital letters and exclamation points — in which he portrayed himself as the innocent victim of an illegal crusade by Mr. Mueller, Democrats and the country’s intelligence community. |
| He said that his accusers were part of an “illegal and treasonous attack on our Country.” | He said that his accusers were part of an “illegal and treasonous attack on our Country.” |
| He complained again about the “18 angry Democrats” he asserted were on the Mueller team and asked why the special counsel did not investigate “Lyin’ & Leakin’ James Comey,” the former F.B.I. director whom Mr. Trump fired, and others. | He complained again about the “18 angry Democrats” he asserted were on the Mueller team and asked why the special counsel did not investigate “Lyin’ & Leakin’ James Comey,” the former F.B.I. director whom Mr. Trump fired, and others. |
| The president attacked Mr. Mueller’s credibility, repeating his unsubstantiated claim that the special counsel was “highly conflicted.” | The president attacked Mr. Mueller’s credibility, repeating his unsubstantiated claim that the special counsel was “highly conflicted.” |
| He then said: “NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION!” and “KEEP AMERICA GREAT!” | He then said: “NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION!” and “KEEP AMERICA GREAT!” |
| On Tuesday, Mr. Trump had shrugged off the impending testimony, telling reporters that he would not watch the hearings on Wednesday, then admitting that “maybe I’ll see a little bit of it.” | On Tuesday, Mr. Trump had shrugged off the impending testimony, telling reporters that he would not watch the hearings on Wednesday, then admitting that “maybe I’ll see a little bit of it.” |
| But the president’s early-morning online activities betrayed his real intentions, indicating once again that Mr. Trump appeared consumed by the investigation that had dominated much of his presidency. | But the president’s early-morning online activities betrayed his real intentions, indicating once again that Mr. Trump appeared consumed by the investigation that had dominated much of his presidency. |
| Mr. Trump’s focus on the Mueller testimony was mirrored by some of his supporters in Wheeling, W.Va., where the president was raising money from donors in a private event Wednesday evening. | |
| Interviews with residents of Wheeling during the hearings largely broke down along partisan lines, with supporters of the president scoffing at Mr. Mueller’s testimony and Democrats saying that the special counsel had highlighted misdeeds by Mr. Trump. | Interviews with residents of Wheeling during the hearings largely broke down along partisan lines, with supporters of the president scoffing at Mr. Mueller’s testimony and Democrats saying that the special counsel had highlighted misdeeds by Mr. Trump. |
| At DiCarlo’s Pizza, about 500 feet from the Trump fund-raiser, the TV was tuned to NBC’s airing of Mr. Mueller’s testimony. Diners watched it between bites of pizza and hoagies. | At DiCarlo’s Pizza, about 500 feet from the Trump fund-raiser, the TV was tuned to NBC’s airing of Mr. Mueller’s testimony. Diners watched it between bites of pizza and hoagies. |
| “I thought they already came out with the whole report and didn’t really find any collusion or whatever Trump was talking about, so I’m not sure what they’re doing now again,” said Patrick Hynes, a mechanic from Chicago who said Congress had nothing better to do. | “I thought they already came out with the whole report and didn’t really find any collusion or whatever Trump was talking about, so I’m not sure what they’re doing now again,” said Patrick Hynes, a mechanic from Chicago who said Congress had nothing better to do. |
| “They don’t want to do anything about the immigration crisis they’ve got a problem with and all this other stuff,” Mr. Hynes added. | “They don’t want to do anything about the immigration crisis they’ve got a problem with and all this other stuff,” Mr. Hynes added. |
| Scott Jackson, a registered Republican who considers himself more of an independent, called the Mueller investigation a “scam” and “a total witch hunt.” Mr. Jackson, a lifelong Wheeling resident who collects unemployment benefits after having lost his job in the gas and oil industry in December, said: “I don’t think that anything that Mueller has done has had any positive effect for the nation. I believe that it’s lies.” | Scott Jackson, a registered Republican who considers himself more of an independent, called the Mueller investigation a “scam” and “a total witch hunt.” Mr. Jackson, a lifelong Wheeling resident who collects unemployment benefits after having lost his job in the gas and oil industry in December, said: “I don’t think that anything that Mueller has done has had any positive effect for the nation. I believe that it’s lies.” |
| But Cheryl Prichard, 71, a Democrat and retired college professor of speech pathology, said Mr. Mueller helped make clear that “laws were broken and that it’s up to Congress to do their constitutional duty and institute an impeachment hearing.” | But Cheryl Prichard, 71, a Democrat and retired college professor of speech pathology, said Mr. Mueller helped make clear that “laws were broken and that it’s up to Congress to do their constitutional duty and institute an impeachment hearing.” |
| “I thought the Democrats were asking questions to gather information,” Ms. Prichard said, “and I thought the Republicans were making comments and asking questions to get Trump re-elected.” | “I thought the Democrats were asking questions to gather information,” Ms. Prichard said, “and I thought the Republicans were making comments and asking questions to get Trump re-elected.” |