Trump Retweets Multiple Attacks On Don Jr.’s Subpoena Request
Donald Trump spent Saturday morning on Twitter, retweeting defense after defense of himself and his son. The Senate Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena this week, requiring Donald Trump Jr. to return to testify regarding the Trump campaign’s interactions with Russia, and the information uncovered in Robert Mueller’s report.
The president has responded publicly, in his own words, to say that he feels it’s unfair for his son to be subpoenaed after being exonerated (a claim he makes repeatedly despite the Mueller report’s clear statement that it is not an exoneration), and on Saturday, he followed up by responding in everyone else’s words.
According to the New York Times, the subpoena was issued by a committee chaired by Republican Senator Richard Burr (NC) with Democratic Senator Mark Warner as Vice Chair, and they have previously stated that their investigation can’t close without Trump Jr.’s testimony.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, Trump retweeted politicians, pundits, and reporters, all saying that the subpoena is unfair and inappropriate, a witch hunt, and purely a partisan political attack. His retweets included Senator Thom Tillis, Governor Mike Huckabee, Representative Pete King, Senator Ted Cruz, as well as tweets of news stories quoting everyone from conservative commentator Sean Hannity to the same politicians Trump retweeted directly, and opinions from pundits themselves.
I agree with Leader McConnell: this case is closed. The Mueller Report cleared @DonaldJTrumpJr and he’s already spent 27 hours testifying before Congress. Dems have made it clear this is all about politics. It’s time to move on & start focusing on issues that matter to Americans. https://t.co/11THs9LE0j
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) May 9, 2019
If Sen Burr didn't get enough flesh out of @DonaldJTrumpJr in the 1st 29 hrs of hammering, then hold him back a grade or send him home. Read the report, Senator-Mueller and his crew found NADA. To quote Elsa, "Let it GO!" https://t.co/l8aVlXUrk8
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) May 10, 2019
Hard to justify Senate subpoena of @DonaldJTrumpJr. After two years of investigations by Mueller, Senate & House as well as Don, Jr. testifying for many hours before House & Senate Intel Committees, what is Senate thinking?
— Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) May 9, 2019
I sure wish Sen Richard Burr was as interested in Biden's cushy deals w/ Ukraine & China while VP than he is in the harassment of @DonaldJTrumpJr over a CLOSED witch hunt. #Enough
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) May 9, 2019
The Russia investigation is over. After 2 years of Dem & media hysteria, after millions of dollars, after 2800 subpoenas, the Mueller Report found NO collusion. There’s no need for another subpoena for @DonaldJTrumpJr It’s time to move on & focus on issues Americans care about.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 9, 2019
Sean Hannity slams @SenatorBurr: “Are you a collusion truther? How many times do you want Donald Trump Jr. and other people to answer the same stupid questions that have been disproven? This is now bordering on harassment, abuse of power, and certainly a waste of our tax dollars” pic.twitter.com/FwFIMACsiI
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 10, 2019
The Mueller probe has concluded, after vast effort, that there was no collusion. Senate Intel subpoena to @DonaldJTrumpJr seems to me absurd and a flexing of the Committee's muscles. He is not a member of the government, this is not oversight, and Comm concluded "no collusion."
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) May 10, 2019
Chuck Grassley: "I think about the time that he [Trump Jr.] spent hours w/our staff & testimony…everything post the Mueller report coming out & its conclusions of no collusion or any crime. What more is there to do now? You'll have to ask the people of the Intelligence Cmte."
— Jason Donner (@jason_donner) May 9, 2019
If you were @DonaldJTrumpJr & had already testified for 30+ hours about same damn singular meeting at #TrumpTower wouldn't you be reluctant to go before harassing politicians yet another time? Since there was #NoCollusionNoObstruction? I say fight vs. malicious, hostile intent.
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) May 9, 2019
.@tedcruz joins the ranks of Republican lawmakers criticizing Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) for keeping the Collusion Hoax alive: https://t.co/95kYFEGCgJ
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) May 9, 2019
The Mueller probe has concluded, after vast effort, that there was no collusion. Senate Intel subpoena to @DonaldJTrumpJr seems to me absurd and a flexing of the Committee's muscles. He is not a member of the government, this is not oversight, and Comm concluded "no collusion."
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) May 10, 2019
As seen in the partial sample above, Trump showed some preference for those tweets and speakers that used his own words, such as “witch hunt,” or repeated the verifiably false claim that the Mueller report exonerated anyone or proved that there was no criminal activity. Between these, the President also retweeted a number of diversions, tweets accusing Hillary Clinton of illegal activity, or suggesting that Trump himself is under unfair attacks, or lashing out at undocumented immigrants.
Altogether, Trump’s morning activity, aside from blowing up the notifications of everyone who follows his Twitter account, had one real effect: it made him look extremely nervous and anxious about his son’s testimony.