In addition to the false claims, the president contradicted himself after publicly admitting—for the first time—in a tweet that “Russia help[ed] me to get elected.”
President Donald Trump rattled off numerous contradictory statements, baseless accusations and falsehoods Thursday morning following former special counsel Robert Mueller’s rare on-camera statement the day prior, in which he reiterated one of his report’s conclusions that he could not exonerate the president of committing any crimes.
Among the false claims made by Trump to reporters on the White House’s South Lawn before boarding Marine One were that Russia wanted Hillary Clinton to be elected and that the courts would prevent Congress from impeaching him. On the former special counsel, Trump falsely or baselessly claimed that Mueller cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing, wanted another stint as FBI director, was a “never-Trumper” and had conflicts of interest that should have prevented him from becoming special counsel.
In addition to the false claims, the president contradicted himself after publicly admitting—for the first time—in a tweet that “Russia help[ed] me to get elected.”
“Russia did not help me get elected,” Trump told reporters minutes later. “You know who got me elected? You know who got me elected? I got me elected. Russia didn’t help me at all. Russia, if anything, I think, helped the other side.” He falsely added that “Russia would rather have Hillary Clinton as president.”
The Mueller reported concluded that “the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion” and that the “Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts.”
The president went on to claim—falsely—that in both Mueller’s report and his Wednesday remarks, the former special counsel exonerated him of any criminal wrongdoing, including on obstruction of justice and conspiracy charges.
“[Mueller] said, essentially, ‘You’re innocent.’ I’m innocent of all charges,” Trump falsely said. “And, you know, the thing that nobody brings up: There was no crime.
