Trump Fuming About More Leaks Over Russia Story

White House trying to figure out who's got it out for Trump Jr.
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 12, 2017 8:09 AM CDT
White House Worry: Who's Got It Out for Trump Jr.?
President Trump again called the Russian investigation a 'witch hunt,' and defended his son.   (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Trump returned to a familiar phrase Wednesday morning in tweeting about the Russia investigation that has now enveloped his oldest son. He tweeted that the inquiry is "the greatest Witch Hunt in political history" and said Donald Trump Jr. was "open, transparent and innocent" after the younger Trump's Fox News appearance on Tuesday night. Behind the scenes, however, Trump is said to be seething because the Russia story continues to command so much attention and because leakers keep feeding the fire. The Washington Post quotes an anonymous Trump supporter outside the White House who calls the PR mess a "category 5 hurricane," and the story says infighting is at a fever pitch. Axios also takes note of the "tense environment" and says one of the top concerns inside the White House is figuring out who leaked news of the Trump Jr. meeting.

BuzzFeed takes a specific look at the leaker angle and quotes Trump adviser Roger Stone as betting on former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. "Donny was a vocal critic of Corey—he walked him towards the exits," says Stone, who clashed with Lewandowki himself. "I’m not unbiased, but he’d be my choice." Lewandowski did not comment. As for the president, Politico reports that he's "using his relatively light schedule to watch TV and fume about" the new twist. Meanwhile, a statement from VP Mike Pence in response to the latest revelations is raising eyebrows, with some suggesting that he's trying to distance himself from the mess. "The Vice President was not aware of the meeting," says a statement, per the Hill. "He is not focused on stories about the campaign, particularly stories about the time before he joined the ticket." (More President Trump stories.)

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