Trump blames Obama and his 'group' for damaging leaks, protests

(Image credit: CNN/YouTube)

published 28 February 2017

President Trump hosted the Fox & Friends gang at the White House on Monday, in an interview that aired Tuesday morning, and Brian Kilmeade noted that Trump has said he thinks his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, actually likes him, despite their political differences and the hard-fought presidential campaign. Kilmeade alleged that the Obama-linked Organizing for America group is organizing a lot of the protests that are spooking Republicans, then asked, "Do you think President Obama is behind it, and if he is, is that a violation of the so-called unsaid president's code?"

"I think he is behind it. I also think it's politics — that's the way it is," Trump said. "I think that President Obama's behind it, because his people are certainly behind it. And some of the leaks possibly come from that group, you know — some of the leaks, which are really very serious leaks, because they're bad in terms of national security. But I also understand that's politics, and in terms of him being behind things, that's politics, and it will probably continue."

Anderson Cooper played that clip on CNN Monday night, and senior political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson said this blaming of Obama "in some ways borders on paranoia."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.