An 'infuriated' Trump prepares for Comey's testimony without his planned 'war room'


Former FBI Director James Comey will be all over TV on Thursday, and among those expected to tune in to his testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee is President Trump. His staff and legal team are hoping Trump decides not to live-tweet or even watch Comey's testimony, and they have "a very, very busy day" planned for him, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday. But a fuming "Trump is keen to be a participant rather than just another viewer," two senior White House officials tell The Washington Post, "including the possibility of taking to Twitter to offer acerbic commentary during the hearing."
The Post spoke with 20 "White House officials, Trump friends, and other well-connected Republicans" to get a sense of Trump's mindset and team preparations for Comey's potentially damaging revelations, and The Associated Press corroborates some of the details. Trump is "infuriated at a deep-gut, personal level that the elite media has tolerated [the Russia story] and praised Comey," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told The Washington Post. "He's not going to let some guy like that smear him without punching him as hard as he can." Longtime Trump confidante and adviser Roger Stone agreed: "He's not going to take an attack by James Comey laying down."
When a special prosecutor was named to take over the investigation into Russian election tampering and any collusion with the Trump campaign, the White House planned to set up a "war room" to coordinate the White House response. "That effort has largely stalled, both because of a lack of decision-making in the West Wing and concerns among some potential recruits about joining a White House under the cloud of investigation," AP reports. The Washington Post adds that there was uncertainty over who would staff the war room and if they would be trustworthy to Trump's top advisers and among one another.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Absent a war room, Trump and his allies have settled on a campaign-like effort to discredit Comey. An allied PAC is running an ad trashing Comey as a "showboater," the Republican National Committee has a list of anti-Comey talking points for its group of pro-Trump surrogates to recite on TV (the roster unveiled Tuesday "could hardly be described as star-studded," the Post said), and Trump is reaching out to some Republican senators who will be questioning Comey on Thursday. You can read more at The Washington Post.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Critics’ choice: Restaurants worthy of their buzz
feature A fun bistro, a reservation worth the wait, and a modern twist on Mexican dishes
By The Week US Published
-
Film reviews: Snow White, Death of a Unicorn, and The Alto Knights
Feature A makeover for Disney’s first animated feature, greedy humans earn nature’s wrath, and a feud between crime bosses rattles the mob
By The Week US Published
-
Bombs or talks: What’s next in the US-Iran showdown?
Talking Points US gives Tehran a two-month deadline to deal
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Sen. Booker's 25-hour speech beats Thurmond
Speed Read He spoke for the longest time in recorded Senate history, protesting the Trump administration's policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bondi seeks death penalty for Luigi Mangione
Speed Read Mangione was charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats win costly Wisconsin court seat
Speed Read Democrats prevailed in an election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court despite Elon Musk's robust financial support of the Republican candidate
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
WHCA rejects White House press seating grab
Speed Read The White House Correspondents' Association objected to the Trump administration's bid to control where journalists sit during press briefings
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sends more migrants to El Salvador jail
Speed Read Another 17 Venezuelan alleged gang members have been deported to a notorious prison
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump 'not joking' about unconstitutional 3rd term
Speed Read The president seems to be serious about seeking a third term in 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published