Trump attacks 'fake news' following Kushner reports

[webfact]

Trump attacks 'fake news' following Kushner reports

By Doina Chiacu and Toni Clarke

REUTERS
 

U.S. President Donald Trump and his senior advisor Jared Kushner arrive for a meeting with manufacturing CEOs at the White House in Washington, DC, U.S. February 23, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump attacked the news media and dismissed leaks from the White House as "fake news" on Sunday, following reports his son-in-law tried to set up a secret channel of communications with Moscow before Trump took office.

 

Shortly after Trump's remarks on Twitter, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly made the rounds of Sunday television news shows to praise any so-called back channel communications, especially with Russia, as "a good thing."

 

The Republican president returned to the White House after a nine-day trip to the Middle East and Europe that ended on Saturday to face more questions about alleged communications between Jared Kushner and Russia's ambassador to Washington.

 

"It is my opinion that many of the leaks coming out of the White House are fabricated lies made up by the #FakeNews media," Trump wrote in a series of Twitter posts on Sunday.

 

The White House faces mounting questions about potential ties between Russia and Trump's presidential campaign, which are also the subject of criminal and congressional investigations. Trump officials were preparing to establish a "war room" to address an issue that has begun to dominate his young presidency.

 

Aides said Trump was expected to meet with lawyers as early as Sunday, the New York Times reported.

 

Two Republican U.S. senators played down the Kushner reports on Sunday, while the former director of national intelligence, James Clapper, took a darker view of such contacts with representatives of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

"My dashboard warning light was clearly on and I think that was the case with all of us in the intelligence community - very concerned about the nature of these approaches to the Russians," Clapper told NBC's "Meet The Press."

 

Kushner, who is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka, had contacts with Moscow in December about opening a secret back channel of communications, according to news reports published while Trump was away on his trip.

 

The 36-year-old Kushner, a real estate developer with no previous government experience, had at least three previously undisclosed contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States during and after the 2016 presidential campaign, seven current and former U.S. officials told Reuters.

 

"Whenever you see the words 'sources say' in the fake news media, and they don't mention names," Trump wrote, "it is very possible that those sources don't exist but are made up by fake news writers. #FakeNews is the enemy!"

 

Contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials during the campaign coincided with what U.S. intelligence agencies concluded was a Kremlin effort through computer hacking, fake news and propaganda to boost Trump's chances of winning the White House.

 

'A GOOD THING'

 

White House officials defended the concept of secret communications channels without commenting specifically on the Kushner case. National security adviser H.R. McMaster told reporters on Saturday that so-called back-channeling was not unusual.

 

Kelly, the homeland security secretary, carried the same message on Sunday.

 

"It's both normal, in my opinion, and acceptable," he said on ABC's "This Week" program. "Any way that you can communicate with people, particularly organizations that are maybe not particularly friendly to us, is a good thing."

 

Kelly told "Fox News Sunday" there was nothing wrong with the Trump transition team trying to build relationships with the Russians as they prepared to take over the White House.

 

U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said such secret channels may be used in situations including peace talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan or for the release of American hostages.

 

"But for people associated with the campaign after that campaign has ended and where the Russians during that campaign were helping you, to try to establish a back channel and hide it from your own government, that's a serious allegation," he said.

 

Schiff was particularly concerned about a Washington Post report that the back channel would have been conducted at a Russian diplomatic facility to avoid monitoring in U.S. communications systems. "You have to ask, well, who are they hiding the conversation from?" he said on ABC.

 

Schiff said he expected Kushner, who serves as an unpaid adviser to Trump, to appear before his committee and suggested his security clearance be reviewed.

 

Kushner initially had come to the attention of FBI investigators last year as they began scrutinizing former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s connections with Russian officials, the two sources told Reuters.

 

Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham told CNN he doubted the Kushner reports were accurate. Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, noted that Kushner has been willing to answer questions. "They reached out to us yesterday to make sure that we knew that was the case and I’m sure he’s willing to do so,” Corker said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

 

Though he had not seen evidence of collusion when he stepped down on Jan. 20, Clapper said all the signs made an FBI investigation not only appropriate but necessary.

 

"Russia, at least for my money, is our primary adversary," he told NBC. "They are not our friends. They are in to do us in."

 

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Toni Clarke; editing by David Clarke and Nick Zieminski)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-29

[KarenBravo]

So, on the one hand Trump is saying it's "fake news" and on the other, his minions are defending the action.

All bases covered then........

[DM07]

It is really hard, to follow the Trump- idiocy- news and not be annoyed as #@$%!

[darksidedog]

The FBI confirmed they are investigating Kushner, so I fail to see how this can possibly be construed as fake news. It's hardly like the FBI are there to fabricate things to entertain the media. Trying to dismiss it as fake, given its source, pretty much confirms the element of truth in it. The obfuscation about the matter by the Republicans shows how low they have sunk in trying to protect the fool at the top.

[scorecard]

11 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

So, on the one hand Trump is saying it's "fake news" and on the other, his minions are defending the action.

All bases covered then........

 

Plus he has no hesitation to strongly abruptly criticize everybody and everything including other world leaders, but wants all to believe he is perfect and try to control any comment etc., about himself,  including claims it's fake news , etc., etc.

 

Hope his final day is very soon so the US and the world can quickly move in with some level of common sense and balance.

Edited May 29, 2017 by scorecard

[mtls2005]

Much pent-up Twitter rage exploding.

 

I love how the Administration and right-wing pundits constantly moan about "leaks", and then discount everything as "fake".

 

If it's fake, then the "leaks" can't  be real? Or am I missing something?

 

And he claims he "hit a home-run" on his recent trip, as if he could walk 360 feet, what with his "bone-spurs".

 

Can't wait to hear the "reasons" for needing a "back-channel" to Russia, and for the right-wing pundits to justify this sort of activity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 29, 2017 by mtls2005

[ilostmypassword]

I hear that he's already been suspended twice from Thaivisa.com for committing this offense. Ok, fine, I confress,that's fake news.

[Berkshire]

It should be apparent to everyone by now (well, everyone with half a brain) that every time Trump says "fake news," what he really means is "real news that he doesn't like." 

[Peterw42]

FAKE news, Foreign And Kremlin Engagement news.

 

FAKE news, Felonious Advisory Knowledge Exchange news.

 

Yes, its all fake news.

 

Any other acronyms ?

[mtls2005]

Any other acronyms ?

 

TASS

RT

Sputnik

Fox

 

[heybruce]

" White House officials defended the concept of secret communications channels without commenting specifically on the Kushner case. National security adviser H.R. McMaster told reporters on Saturday that so-called back-channeling was not unusual. "

 

So they're not saying it happened, but if it did happen it's a good thing, and it's fake news anyway.  Got it.

 

Now will they apply the same logic to reports the back channel discussion happened before the inauguration, when US law forbids anyone not in government to engage in diplomatic discussions?  Also, why would the back channel have been conducted entirely on Russian communication systems?

[jcsmith]

It's ridiculous that people are justifying this. His aides claiming it's just back-channel communications and ignoring the reports that he tried to cut American intelligence out of being able to listen in on it. If this had been done by most any other person they'd be in deep trouble. And any military or intelligence person knows this. The notion that he simply forgot to report these is also absolutely ridiculous, especially when you combine it with the fact that Flynn, Sessions, and others just happened to forget to report all of the communications with Russia. His clearance should be revoked and he should be subject to investigation.

Edited May 29, 2017 by jcsmith

[KhunBENQ]

They just miss the red phone.

Or is it still there?

[KhunBENQ]

3 minutes ago, jcsmith said:

If this had been done by most any other person they'd be in deep trouble. And any military or intelligence person knows this.

"any other person" could be a spy/Russian agent.

Did I read that they were pointed to such an expert?

 

[Rob13]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Trump attacks 'fake news' following Kushner reports

 

 

Trump better start putting some links up  proving it's  fake news.

[oxo1947]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Whenever you see the words 'sources say' in the fake news media, and they don't mention names," Trump wrote

How can he do that when the reporters do not put up links....they just say " sources "  its a secret who told us.......

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, Rob13 said:

 

Trump better start putting some links up  proving it's  fake news.

trump's base is not interested in facts or truth. 

[Rob13]

11 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

trump's base is not interested in facts or truth. 

His base isn't enough to pull him through the road he's about to go down though. He's gotta convince the GOP members of congress riding the fence on whether or not to continue supporting him or not. 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, Rob13 said:

His base isn't enough to pull him through the road he's about to go down though. He's gotta convince the GOP members of congress riding the fence on whether or not to continue supporting him or not. 

They will continue to support him because he's an R in the white house. Short of photos of him in a yellow soaked bed with a Russian boy that is. 

The republicans in congress, led by NO BACKBONE Paul Ryan are all about party over country.

Hopefully someday they will be made to pay for that, but no guarantees.

Edited May 29, 2017 by Jingthing

[Rob13]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

They will continue to support him because he's an R in the white house. Short of photos of him in a yellow soaked bed with a Russian boy that is. 

 

Alot will, no doubt. Some have been going along reluctantly. Pretty sure Paul Ryan is nearing the end of his rope, if he bails on trump that'll be a game changer.

[spidermike007]

Anything Cheeto does not like, he labels as fake news. His devotees tend to just go along with it, as they have been indoctrinated, and tend to be drinking the same Kool-Aid he drinks. It creates a nice little narrative, that ties in perfectly with his imperial ambitions. The media are restraining his power. They are reporting on all of the discord, the incredible dysfunction, and the astonishing lack of competence. All things Cheeto does not want to hear. Hence, the narrative continues. He made war with the press, and now this infantile neophyte is paying the price. And he hates it. He does not like being disapproved of. He craves approval in the worst way. He is not getting it. He refuses to be briefed on intelligence. He refuses to study the topics at hand. He cannot concentrate for more than four seconds, as he has never developed the powers of concentration, like many adults do. So, what is the result? What we are seeing nearly every day.

 

It is fun watching this clown shoot himself in the foot daily. He cannot help himself. That is just who he is. He cannot get out of his own way. Fun. Fun. 

Edited May 29, 2017 by spidermike007

[Jingthing]

Fun, maybe, but damaging to the USA and dangerous to the world kind of fun.

We really could do without it (and him)!

Edited May 29, 2017 by Jingthing

[Luckysilk]

He probably added a few Ruskies on FB or LINE - not big deal he was a private citizen at the time.

 

It's a normal thing but the MSM needs to feed their trolls daily.

 

[elgordo38]

55 minutes ago, Rob13 said:

 

Trump better start putting some links up  proving it's  fake news.

I will see your fake news and raise you 2 fake news stories. Fake news poker. 

[klauskunkel]

 

fake news this, fake news that. Change your ammo, you are boring me.

[wwest5829]

This is closed to further discussion...sorry Donald cannot do that in the USA...

[Redline]

8 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Plus he has no hesitation to strongly abruptly criticize everybody and everything including other world leaders, but wants all to believe he is perfect and try to control any comment etc., about himself,  including claims it's fake news , etc., etc.

 

Hope his final day is very soon so the US and the world can quickly move in with some level of common sense and balance.

If there is any God whoever, wherever, make the world a better place.  I won't tell

[Chip Allen]

Kushner and his wife, Ivanka are the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg of our time. They should meet a similar fate.

[Redline]

3 hours ago, elgordo38 said:

I will see your fake news and raise you 2 fake news stories. Fake news poker. 

Ha!  I have fake bombs from my friends, and my friends are better than your friends!  BOOM!  NYTimes gone, and I just gave superpowers to Breitbart News.  No alternative reality.  I turned it off.  I win!  I am tremendous!

[ilostmypassword]

25 minutes ago, Chip Allen said:

Kushner and his wife, Ivanka are the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg of our time. They should meet a similar fate.

I wouldn't insult the Rosenbergs like that. At least they were acting in accordance with their principles.