July 22, 2017
President Donald Trump ripped off a slew of assertions on Twitter Saturday morning, including a claim that the "Failing New York Times" intentionally foiled a U.S. attempt to kill the leader of ISIS.
"The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist," Trump tweeted, referring to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. "Their sick agenda over National Security."
The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist,Al-Baghdadi.Their sick agenda over National Security
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
Trump did not say anything further about the claim, but CBS News reported Saturday morning that his tweet came roughly 20 minutes after Fox News' "Fox and Friends" aired a segment about leaks. At one point, the chyron read "NYT FOILS U.S. ATTEMPT TO TAKE OUT AL-BAGHDADI."
According to a CBS News report, the Fox segment cited comments made by Gen. Raymond Thomas during an appearance at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Friday. Speaking onstage to Fox News' Catherine Herridge, Thomas reportedly said on Friday that the U.S. gathered intelligence about al-Baghdadi's whereabouts in 2015 until "there were some leaks about what we were up to."
Thomas, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, appeared to refer to a New York Times story that ran in June 2015.
Despite Russian reports that Baghdadi was killed in an airstrike at the end of May, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis reportedly said Friday that U.S. officials continue to assume that al-Baghdadi is still alive.
"I think he's alive and I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him," Mattis said Friday.
Trump's claims about the newspaper comes days after he criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a sit-down interview with three New York Times reporters in the Oval Office. Trump said Sessions' recusal from all matters related to the country's ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 general election was "very unfair to the president."
"Sessions should have never recused himself," Trump told the Times, "and if he was going to recuse himself he should have told me before he took the job and I would have picked somebody else."
The wide-ranging interview drew scrutiny from a number of national media outlets, including the Times.
Tweeting 10 times in a two-hour span Saturday morning, the president also touched on the usual suspects such as the "Amazon Washington Post," "Crooked Hillary Clinton," former FBI Director James Comey and the Affordable Care Act. Trump also stated that a U.S. president has "the complete power to pardon."
A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions.These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
This morning I will be going to the Commissioning Ceremony for the largest aircraft carrier in the world, The Gerald R. Ford. Norfolk, Va.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
This morning I will be going to the Commissioning Ceremony for the largest aircraft carrier in the world, The Gerald R. Ford. Norfolk, Va.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
So many people are asking why isn't the A.G. or Special Council looking at the many Hillary Clinton or Comey crimes. 33,000 e-mails deleted?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
...What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia, including Podesta Company, Uranium deal, Russian Reset, big dollar speeches etc.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
My son Donald openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
In all fairness to Anthony Scaramucci, he wanted to endorse me 1st, before the Republican Primaries started, but didn't think I was running!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
The Republican Senators must step up to the plate and, after 7 years, vote to Repeal and Replace. Next, Tax Reform and Infrastructure. WIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
ObamaCare is dead and the Democrats are obstructionists, no ideas or votes, only obstruction. It is solely up to the 52 Republican Senators!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
The president had already taken to social media Friday night to compliment Sean Spicer, who resigned as Trump's press secretary earlier in the day. Trump also opined that Spicer took "tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media."
Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
