“Jeff should be investigating who the author of that piece was, because I really believe it’s national security,” Trump said Friday.
President Donald Trump said Friday he wanted Attorney General Jeff Sessions to launch an investigation into who authored the explosive anonymous opinion article published in The New York Times earlier this week.
“Jeff should be investigating who the author of that piece was, because I really believe it’s national security,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
The op-ed writer, identified only as a senior administration official, said some members of the administration are trying to thwart Trump as part of a “resistance.”
Referring to the author of the piece, Trump said he wanted the Justice Department to “take a look at what he had, what he gave, what he’s talking about — also where he is right now.”
“I don’t want him in those meetings,” Trump added, referring to “high level” meetings “concerning China or Russia or North Korea” that would have required a security clearance.
Asked if he was considering taking action against The Times, Trump replied, “We’re going to see.”
“I’m looking into that right now,” he added.
It’s not clear what national security reasons would prompt a Department of Justice investigation. It is not a crime to leak information that is not classified.
Asked for clarification whether the president was directing Sessions to investigate The New York Times op-ed or opining that Sessions should, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said, “opining.”
“Look, he’s concerned that someone is trying to undermine the executive branch and he wants it looked at,” she said.
Sanders was also asked what law the White House alleges was broken by the op-ed author. She said she couldn’t identify one, and pointed out that she’s not a lawyer.
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NEW: President Trump calls on AG Sessions to launch an investigation into who authored the anonymous NY Times op-ed. https://t.co/ROsYR4qL8Q
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 7, 2018
And calling on DOJ to investigate something that is politically embarrassing but involved no violation of the law is perfectly OK. Authoritarian regimes do things like that all the time.
— Steven Metz (@steven_metz) September 7, 2018
Sessions will tell Trump to go pound sand and Trump will have another reason to whine and moan about Sessions. Steven Metz is right. There is no law broken here.
Another reason to have Trump removed from office. But of course, our lazy, scaredy-cat politicians won’t do it.
This is what "abuse of power" looks like. I'm sure, in the usual circular way, the President's defenders will shrug and say not to worry, because it won't go anywhere. His staff (as the op-ed says) will avert his direction, and thus he will not commit an abuse of power. QED. https://t.co/uv5TvQkhKM
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) September 7, 2018
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