Trump Accuses McCabe of 'Treasonous' Behavior

Former acting FBI chief is out with another interview
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 18, 2019 9:50 AM CST
Trump Accuses McCabe of 'Treasonous' Behavior
In this 2017 photo, then-acting FBI chief Andrew McCabe is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington.   (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

President Trump is using a new word to describe the actions of former acting FBI chief Andrew McCabe: "treasonous." And the president applies it to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as well, reports the Daily Beast. In morning tweets, Trump was responding to McCabe's assertion that Rosenstein once suggested wearing a wire to record the president and raised the idea of having Trump removed from office via the 25th Amendment. "He and Rod Rosenstein, who was hired by Jeff Sessions (another beauty), look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught," wrote Trump. "This was the illegal and treasonous 'insurance policy' in full action!" he added. McCabe is making the rounds to promote a new book, including an appearance on 60 Minutes Sunday night. McCabe also spoke with NPR Monday morning. Some of his assertions:

  • Believing Putin: In the NPR interview, McCabe asserts that he once sat down with Trump for a briefing about Russia, and Trump shifted the focus to his belief that North Korea hadn't launched any missiles. Why did he believe that? Because Vladimir Putin told him so, despite contrary findings from US intelligence. "How do we impart wisdom and knowledge and the best of our intelligence assessments to someone who chooses to believe our adversaries over our intelligence professionals?" McCabe asked.
  • 25th Amendment: McCabe said on CBS that Rosenstein asked McCabe if he thought Trump's Cabinet would support a move to remove the president. "He was discussing other Cabinet members and whether or not people would support such an idea, whether or not other Cabinet members would, shared, his belief that the president was—was really concerning," McCabe said, per USA Today. The idea didn't go further. (McCabe's spokesperson has said that reports about this have been "taken out of context" and that McCabe never took part in "extended discussions" on the matter, notes the Hill.)
  • The wire: McCabe said Rosenstein suggested wearing a wire during a talk with the president. "I was taken aback by the offer," McCabe tells NPR. "I told him that I would consider it, I would discuss it with the investigative team, and I'd let him know. I did talk to my attorneys back at FBI headquarters about it." Ultimately, however, "we all agreed it was a horrible idea," and nothing came of it.
(More Andrew McCabe stories.)

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