President Trump wanted his attorney general, William Barr, to state publicly that he had broken no laws with his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Trump requested Barr make the announcement at a formal press conference.
Barr declined, though the Department of Justice (DOJ) did eventually release a statement claiming that a readout of the president’s call — during which Trump pushed Zelensky to launch an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden — had been evaluated to not contain any campaign finance violations.
Democrats have argued that Trump’s effort to persuade Zelensky constituted an attempt to solicit foreign assistance in a U.S. election.
Sources in the administration told the Post that the president has mentioned Barr’s refusal to host a press conference on the issue in recent weeks, but a senior administration official denied that Barr’s decision had resulted in any friction between the two men.
“The DOJ did in fact release a statement about the call, and the claim that it resulted in tension because it wasn’t a news conference is completely false,” the official said.
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Trump wanted Barr to say publicly that president broke no laws in Ukraine phone call: report https://t.co/NDBf9JLdHj pic.twitter.com/mZb406AIyD
— The Hill (@thehill) November 7, 2019So you’re confirming it. Thanks. https://t.co/rERvSOUbAu
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) November 7, 2019
Also, speaking of degenerates, how ARE you today? Feeling jittery? Paranoid? https://t.co/rERvSOUbAu
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) November 7, 2019While we're all pretending to be amazed that Barr observed even this much of a thin legal line of self-preservation, let's just notice again that the ask itself is completely unethical and an abuse of power. https://t.co/xl7DQudn3Q
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 7, 2019
A) they’re all great reporters B) the story was true C) Last time POTUS had this extensive a tirade was around Comey dismissal. Comey – who wouldn’t publicly clear Trump’s name at his request – was fired and that promoted Rosenstein to name Mueller. https://t.co/HQZT9umaXB
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 7, 2019
But…if it was a perfect phone call…? https://t.co/luYs0qOMLw
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) November 7, 2019
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