Donald Trump has called for the United States Attorney General to open an investigation into which member of his administration authored an anonymous New York Times op/ed published earlier this week, which criticized him for his dangerously erratic behavior and suggested that an ersatz “resistance” was hard at work thwarting the president’s worst tendencies. After initially calling the unnamed writer “gutless” and suggesting that the criticism might be tantamount to “treason,” on Friday he told reporters that Jeff Sessions should open a criminal investigation into its authorship.
“I think it is national security. I would say Jeff should be investigating who the author of that piece is because I really believe it is national security,” the president demanded, undeterred by the lack of any evidence that a crime has been committed.
The move comes just days after Trump scolded Sessions for the Justice Department’s impartial application of the law. In that instance, the president complained that two Republican Congressmen had been recently charged, despite the fact doing so might potentially imperil their re-election chances.
Two long running, Obama era, investigations of two very popular Republican Congressmen were brought to a well publicized charge, just ahead of the Mid-Terms, by the Jeff Sessions Justice Department. Two easy wins now in doubt because there is not enough time. Good job Jeff……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2018
….The Democrats, none of whom voted for Jeff Sessions, must love him now. Same thing with Lyin’ James Comey. The Dems all hated him, wanted him out, thought he was disgusting – UNTIL I FIRED HIM! Immediately he became a wonderful man, a saint like figure in fact. Really sick!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2018
Trump, who in the past has viciously criticized Obama-era Attorney General Loretta Lynch and accused her of politicizing her office, has frequently called for the Department of Justice to target his political enemies instead of his allies.
A.G. Lynch made law enforcement decisions for political purposes…gave Hillary Clinton a free pass and protection. Totally illegal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2017
Trump’s claim that the identity of an anonymous critic could threaten national security is somewhat hard to believe. During the 2016 campaign, he frequently praised WikiLeaks for email disclosures that benefited his presidential campaign. And just last night, he made it clear that he would not take every possible step to have American taxpayers pay for the border wall he claims is necessary to keep America safe because doing so might hurt his fellow Republicans’ chances in the midterm elections.