webfact Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Trump dismisses Russia controversy as 'scam' by hostile media By Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton REUTERS U.S. President Donald Trump said it would be a "positive thing" to mend U.S.-Russia relations but says "fake reporting" by the "dishonest media" is making it harder to make a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Rough Cut (no reporter narration). WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump dismissed a growing controversy about ties between his aides and Russia on Thursday as a "ruse" and "scam" perpetrated by a hostile news media, and denied any of his associates had contacts with Moscow before last year's election. "The leaks are absolutely real. The news is fake," Trump told a news conference, referring to media reports that his presidential campaign team had contacts with Russian intelligence officials. Trump, who frequently assailed the news media, also said he had not directed his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, to talk to Russia's ambassador about U.S. sanctions before taking office. Trump said he had asked the Justice Department to look into the leaks of "classified information that was given illegally" to journalists regarding the relationship between his aides and Russia. He also said he did not think that Russian President Vladimir Putin was taking actions that would test him early in his term in office. Trump, who took office on Jan. 20 and has voiced support for improved ties with Russia, added he personally had no business deals in that country. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that phone call records and intercepted calls showed members of Trump's presidential campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the Nov. 8 election in which Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton. Pressed by reporters about whether he was aware if any member of his presidential campaign team had contacts with Russia before the election, the Republican president said: "Nobody that I know of." Wary Democratic lawmakers challenged Republicans, who control Congress, on Thursday to conduct a credible investigation into contacts between Trump's associates and Russia. The process could take months and might never be made public. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic emails during the election campaign as part of an effort to tilt the vote in Trump's favour. Trump has spoken admiringly of Putin, who had a tense relationship with former President Barack Obama over Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, Russian military actions in Syria and other matters. Even fellow Republicans have expressed unease about Trump's comments about Putin. DEFENDING FLYNN Flynn, a close adviser to Trump during his campaign, was seen by Moscow as a leading advocate of warmer ties with Russia. Trump fired Flynn on Monday after the retired lieutenant general misled Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador to the United States, before Trump took office, regarding U.S. sanctions on Moscow. Flynn told FBI agents last month he had not discussed sanctions against Russia with the ambassador before Trump took office, the Washington Post reported on Thursday. Flynn's Jan. 24 interview with the FBI could expose him to charges, since lying to the agency is a felony, but any decision to prosecute would lie with the Justice Department. U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted Flynn's call with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak after Trump's election, in which the two discussed sanctions, the Post reported previously. Obama imposed the new sanctions on Russia on Dec. 29 after the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion about Moscow's interference in the election campaign. A U.S. official familiar with the transcripts of the calls with the ambassador said Flynn indicated that if Russia did not retaliate, that could smooth the way towards a broader discussion of improving U.S.-Russian relations once Trump took power. That was potentially illegal under a law barring unauthorised private citizens from interfering in disputes the United States has with other countries. Trump forcefully defended Flynn's discussion with the Russian ambassador. "What he did wasn't wrong," Trump told the news conference. "Mike was doing his job. He was calling countries and his counterparts. So, it certainly would have been OK with me if he did it. ... I didn't direct him, but I would have directed him because that's his job," Trump said. "No, I didn't direct him, but I would have directed him if he didn't do it. OK?" said Trump, who added the problem was Flynn's having misled Pence. A wealthy new York real estate developer with global business interests, Trump also portrayed himself as having no ties to Russia. "I can tell you, speaking for myself, I own nothing in Russia. I have no loans in Russia. I don't have any deals in Russia," Trump said. Critics of the president have called on him since the election campaign to release his tax returns, saying that would shed more light on his business dealings. Trump has said he will not do so while his tax affairs are under audit by the Internal Revenue Service. "I have nothing to do with Russia, haven't made a phone call to Russia in years, don't speak to people from Russia. Not that I wouldn't. I just have nobody to speak to," Trump said. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Writing by Will Dunham and Jeff Mason; Editing by Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney) -- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 He's creating a very dangerous situation and undermining the credibility of the media. Unjustly. He's lost the plot. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/02/06/donald-trumps-suggestion-that-the-media-is-covering-up-terrorist-attacks-is-genuinely-dangerous/?utm_term=.8b6cb7074e9b Quote Donald Trump’s latest attack on the media is very, very dangerous But, to my mind, all of that name-calling pales in comparison to Trump's insinuation Monday that the media is purposely covering up terrorist attacks. .... The problem is this: For lots and lots of people listening to Trump, his suggestion that the media is complicit in a coverup of terrorist attacks will be taken as fact. They won't seek out context or evidence that, frankly, totally undermines his contention. Because they already believe the media to be bad/biased, they will simply take it as a fact that the media is willfully disrupting the president's efforts to keep the country safe. http://www.salon.com/2017/02/11/trumps-attacks-on-the-press-and-how-the-liberal-media-myth-has-empowered-him/ Quote Trump’s attacks on the press — and how the “liberal media” myth has empowered him Yes, the mainstream media has biases that Trump has exploited — but not the ones he complains about in public In reality, the mainstream media, or the “corporate media,” is driven primarily by business rationale and the profit motive, not some left-wing or liberal agenda. ........ A Harvard University study conducted last June supported this reality, and found that “Trump got the most coverage of any candidate running on either side” during the primaries, and that the vast majority of it “was favorable in tone.” .......... There has been no greater myth over the past four decades than that of the liberal or left-wing media, and Trump has benefited from both the myth and the reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 "This administration is running like a fine tuned machine". So was the Titanic. A disastrous man, a disastrous administration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtls2005 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Wow! Just when you thought he couldn't get more strange, President Trump goes and surprises us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenl Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Wow! Just when you thought he couldn't get more strange, President Trump goes and surprises us. No, no surprises, just more of the same. Still on the direction to silence the media, extremely dangerous.sent using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 http://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/16/politics/donald-trump-power-white-house/index.html Quote In stunning comments for a sitting member of the top military brass, Army Gen. Raymond "Tony" Thomas warned at a symposium in Maryland Tuesday that "our government continues to be in unbelievable turmoil. I hope they sort it out soon because we're a nation at war." ......... "This is a major distraction, even if you are not the President or the vice president -- it affects the entire building. It affects the entire national security apparatus," said Mark Lowenthal, a former CIA assistant director of Central Intelligence for Analysis and Production. "It is very hard to focus on your work, to focus on the things you should be working on when you have all of this swirl going on around you," Lowenthal told CNN International. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtls2005 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 I don't know about you, but I'm tired of all the "whining". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Russia has buzzed ships in the Black Sea, it has launched an treaty-violating missile and it has a spy ship 30 miles off the coast of Virginia. Trump may be trying to get along with Putin, but Putin is not reciprocating. Putin is playing Trump like a cheap fiddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 In the news conference, Trump said that he got the most electoral votes since Ronald Reagan. Another lie. Clinton, Bush Sr. and Obama got more than Trump. It's hard to believe anything he says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatawonderfulday Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Surely with his rantings and ravings and his delusionment that it is "everybody else who is wrong, not me", he must go down in US history as it's first crackpot president - or were there others whose mouth engaged before their brain ? Exclude Ronald Reagan as we know he had dementia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 15 minutes ago, Credo said: Russia has buzzed ships in the Black Sea, it has launched an treaty-violating missile and it has a spy ship 30 miles off the coast of Virginia. Trump may be trying to get along with Putin, but Putin is not reciprocating. Putin is playing Trump like a cheap fiddle. I'm not sure how this will play out. The new UN ambassador had very harsh words for Russia. Trump now says Russia has taken Crimea illegally and should give it back. But then says he wants to get along with Russia. Some say this is his negotiation style...we'll see. Hopefully, he'll do the right thing and stand up to Russian aggression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtls2005 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 it has a spy ship 30 miles off the coast of Virginia Flynn, Manafort and possibly Trump's UBER back to mother Russia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emster23 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Thought of posting "He's really off the rails now" but after considering for a moment, realized he's never been "on the rails" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lannarebirth Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, Credo said: In the news conference, Trump said that he got the most electoral votes since Ronald Reagan. Another lie. Clinton, Bush Sr. and Obama got more than Trump. It's hard to believe anything he says. No question he has no command of any facts. That said, I would say his biggest flaw from a political point of view is that his lies are so blatant rather than the subtle lies that Americans are so used to. I wouldn't say he lies any more that the last president or his election rival, but he's a whole lot worse at it. Anyway, politics and indeed government doesn't affect me for the most part, but articles I read said today's press conference was "special". I watched it on You Tube and i have to say I wasn't disappointed. It was perhaps the funniest thing I have ever seen. Enjoy it while it lasts. Edited February 17, 2017 by lannarebirth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lannarebirth Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Gonna be some good SNL sketches this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob13 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 1 hour ago, craigt3365 said: He's creating a very dangerous situation and undermining the credibility of the media. Unjustly. Trump and the media are both to blame. They feed off each other and are both guilty of this farce. IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 9 minutes ago, Rob13 said: Trump and the media are both to blame. They feed off each other and are both guilty of this farce. IMHO. With respect, the media is primarily reporting on Trump's rants and lies. If Trump started talking seriously about policy and things that matter, instead of saying anything that's negative about his is FAKE NEWS, then the media would have different reports. Right now, the ball is in Trump's court. Look at his recent speech. Full of lies and calling the media dishonest. Another lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob13 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 1 minute ago, craigt3365 said: With respect, the media is primarily reporting on Trump's rants and lies. If Trump started talking seriously about policy and things that matter, instead of saying anything that's negative about his is FAKE NEWS, then the media would have different reports. Right now, the ball is in Trump's court. Look at his recent speech. Full of lies and calling the media dishonest. Another lie. Beginning with the campaign, the reporting against Trump was heavily biased and more op/ed than news reporting. These days Trump seems to be hanging himself with his bumbling so the press has an an easy job of it. But I still am not seeing much in a fair even handed approach of by the media as you'd expect if an insider was in office. He's been in office barely a month, I don't much like him, but he does deserve a fair chance and so far I've yet to see the MSM give him one. I do think though that all the talk of fake news and unsubstantiated stories is going to take it's toll in a bad way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtls2005 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 (edited) but he does deserve a fair chance Ah yes, "appeasement". That worked well for Macdonald, Baldwin and Chamberlain. Even Fox News is questioning the veracity of the President... (When {if?} Hannity turns you'll know the fat lady is singing) Edited February 17, 2017 by mtls2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 17 minutes ago, Rob13 said: Beginning with the campaign, the reporting against Trump was heavily biased and more op/ed than news reporting. These days Trump seems to be hanging himself with his bumbling so the press has an an easy job of it. But I still am not seeing much in a fair even handed approach of by the media as you'd expect if an insider was in office. He's been in office barely a month, I don't much like him, but he does deserve a fair chance and so far I've yet to see the MSM give him one. I do think though that all the talk of fake news and unsubstantiated stories is going to take it's toll in a bad way. I didn't follow the campaign at all. Just know that now, Trump primarily lies. And touts how everybody loves him, he does nothing wrong, and the media is against him...and FAKE. Which is another lie. Hard to have good coverage when you lie so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 10 minutes ago, mtls2005 said: but he does deserve a fair chance Ah yes, "appeasement". That worked well for Macdonald, Baldwin and Chamberlain. Even Fox News is questioning the veracity of the President... (When {if?} Hannity turns you'll know the fat lady is singing) Excellent report. Trump supporters should listen to this. No opinions here, just facts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannork Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Just now, mtls2005 said: Wow! Just when you thought he couldn't get more strange, President Trump goes and surprises us. To quote an album from my youth: 'Strangely strange but somehow oddly normal.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannork Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Just now, Emster23 said: Thought of posting "He's really off the rails now" but after considering for a moment, realized he's never been "on the rails" He's only survived so far because he's been between the rails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike324 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Trump is already laying the blame on the media if he can't accomplish what he wants with Russia. The thing is US can't mend relations with Russia without upsetting the UN nations where sanctions are in place against Russia. Perhaps Trump doesn't know this and he is throwing a sissy fit at the media? Russia will never place nice with the US unless the US removes its army bases from Europe, its simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtls2005 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 At least Nixon kept his rantings behind closed doors. Trump is on the rails, and the train is heading to crazy-town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtls2005 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 The "drift-away".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DM07 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 I am really interested, how long he can keep this BS up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod reborn Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 1 hour ago, mtls2005 said: but he does deserve a fair chance Ah yes, "appeasement". That worked well for Macdonald, Baldwin and Chamberlain. Even Fox News is questioning the veracity of the President... (When {if?} Hannity turns you'll know the fat lady is singing) Well, Murdoch and Ailes hate Shep, but Shep's ratings are gold so they let him speak his mind. He's definitely the black sheep at the "Grab that p@ssy" network, which is currently under an FBI investigation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomerangutang Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 2 hours ago, Rob13 said: Trump and the media are both to blame. They feed off each other and are both guilty of this farce. IMHO. Post #16, and the first one to say anything non-denigrating about Trump. Trump is a media junkie. He's made tens of millions of dollars from the media - much of that via free coverage during the campaign. Now he hates the media because it's no longer praising or aghast at his truckloads of BS. I can't agree they're both to blame. For the most part, the media are doing their jobs well. It's the media, more than any other entity, which is showing Trump and his insiders to be the dangerous bunglers they are. Most of the time, all the media have to do is report, verbatum, whatever Trump or his sheeple say. Comedian Lewis Black says it something like this: "Nowadays, I don't have to write any political material. All I have to do is directly quote what Trump and his people say. They're doing my job for me." Here's but one of hundreds of examples: "I'm such a winner. I win at everything. Folks, we're going to win so much, you're going to get tired of winning. You're going to beg me to stop winning so much. I also pick the best people......" My biggest gripe isn't with Trump, Bannon and the other harmful-to-America dufus conspiracy theorists in the Oval Office. My biggest gripe is with the IQ-of-a-potato, easily duped dummies who voted for Trump and Republicans. It's those voters who are going to have to share the responsibility for a failing America. Trump is the Golden Calf. Trump voters are the ding-dongs who are bowing down before it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sujoop Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Trump says he didn't direct Flynn to speak with the Russians (about sanctions). Yet it's hard to imagine total control freak Trump NOT directing Flynn. More on this is bound to come out, likely from a leak close to a now disgruntled and humiliated Flynn. Of course Trump would likely just nonsensically repeat: ''The leaks are absolutely real but the News (reporting the leaks, or Trump's own comments) are FAKE'' (<deleted>???) To which his half-wit supporters would again cheer in unison 'Yeah right on! TRUMP - TRUMP - USA - USA!!!' No matter, just like Trump, his dumb and dumber followers continue to blindly brag, bluster and blunder as 60% of Americans + most of the entire world shakes their heads, rightfully derides, or just plain laughs at y'all for being blatantly stupid, or willfully conned, or just gleeful at the daily dumbing down of America courtesy of your 'pied-piper of stupid', Trump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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