As world freaks out about coronavirus, Trump hosts 45-minute meeting with cast of Russiagate play
As the coronavirus crisis continues, President Trump reportedly spent almost a full hour on Thursday meeting with the folks behind a play about the "Deep State."
That's according to The Daily Beast, which on Thursday reported that Trump had a 45-minute meeting with the playwright and actors behind FBI Lovebirds: Undercovers, a play based on text message exchanges between former FBI lawyer Lisa Page and former FBI agent Peter Strzok, as well as their congressional testimony. An Indiegogo page for the play last year described it as showing "how they, and their Deep State colleagues, planned to take down the president of the United States." The FBI fired Strzok, who was part of the FBI's Russia probe, over his anti-Trump texts in 2018.
Trump apparently hasn't seen the actual play, which is on YouTube, but he evidently doesn't need to to provide his full endorsement, according to playwright Phelim McAleer.
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.
"He loves it, he loves the play," McAleer said.
Trump has frequently targeted Page and Strzok while claiming bias against him in the Russia investigation, accusing them of "treason." In December, Page called Trump's attacks "very intimidating" and said that "I know there's no fathomable way that I have committed any crime at all, let alone treason."
The Oval Office meeting with Trump on Thursday, which also included actors Dean Cain and Kristy Swanson, was reportedly only supposed to last 15 minutes, but Trump just couldn't resist keeping it going for another half-hour, with McAleer saying the president did "most of the talking."
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
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Arizona kicks off swing-state early voting
Speed Read The voting began with less than a month to go before the presidential election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Netanyahu talk ahead of Israeli hit on Iran
Speed Read The pair spoke for the first time since August
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump kept up with Putin, sent Covid tests, book says
Speed Read The revelation comes courtesy of a new book by Bob Woodward
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Liz Cheney campaigns with Harris in Wisconsin
Speed Read The pair does not agree on much politically, but they share an anti-Trump stance
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Harris visit storm-hit North Carolina, Georgia
Speed Read President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took separate tours of the south to view the catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Jack Smith filing details Jan. 6 case against Trump
Speed Read The special counsel's newly unsealed brief argues Trump is not immune from prosecution and gives new details on his efforts to overturn the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published