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.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
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.
-
DOJ settles with Nassar victims for $138M
Speed Read The settlement includes 139 sexual abuse victims of the former USA Gymnastics doctor
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
14 recent scientific breakthroughs
In Depth From photos of the infant universe to an energy advancement that could save the planet
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Who will win the 2024 presidential election?
In Depth Election year is here. Who are pollsters and experts predicting to win the White House?
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Mark Menzies: Tories investigate MP after 'bad people' cash claims
Speed Read Fylde MP will sit as an independent while party looks into allegations he misused campaign funds on medical expenses and blackmail pay-out
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why Johnson won't just pass Ukraine aid
Speed Read The House Speaker could have sent $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine — but it would have split his caucus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published