Donald Trump just had one of the most chaotic weeks in the history of the presidency. He lied repeatedly about his abrupt and stunning decision to fire the man who is investigating him, now-former FBI Director James Comey. The entire affair culminated in a Friday morning Twitter rant, in which Trump appeared to threaten Comey, as well as the free press.
A CNN panel discussed these extraordinary events, and especially Trump’s tweet about Comey. Former CIA Official Phillip Mudd was a part of that panel, and when he was asked what he thought about Trump’s behavior, Mudd did not hold back:
Believe me, I know this is going to sound facetious but I’m breathing a sigh of relief. You can’t take this seriously. You could have taken this seriously from President Bush or President Obama, from President Bush’s father, from President Clinton. You can’t take this seriously.”
“You feel like you’ve got to give the president of the United States a pacifier and a rattle and put him in the crib. You’re threatening the FBI, who’s in the midst of an investigation of presidential aides? The FBI’s been around since 1908. The president of the United States has been around for three and a half months. If you think you’re going to intimidate the former FBI director and the dozens of people in the workforce who are conducting this investigation with the Department of Justice, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“This is a joke. And nobody in the investigation would take this seriously.”
Mudd is correct. This is just another Trump tantrum. However, Trump does wield the power of the entire Executive Branch of the United States government, so we have to take it somewhat seriously. Trump is becoming more unhinged by the day, and the GOP-controlled Congress will not use their power as a check on him.
We’re in dangerous, uncharted territory with this “president,” folks. Remember to keep speaking truth to power and #RESIST.
Watch Phillip Mudd tear Trump apart below:
Featured image via Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images