Donald Trump has renewed attacks on the US justice system, claiming he was politically targeted for years and accusing former FBI Director James Comey of helping drive investigations against him before he entered the White House.
Speaking during aFox News interview, Trump said scrutiny surrounding alleged Russian ties during the 2016 presidential election marked the beginning of what he described as years of unfair treatment by political opponents and sections of the media.
Trump also referred to Comey as a 'dirty cop' while discussing the FBI's Russia investigation and broader legal scrutiny surrounding his presidency. Trump did not provide new evidence supporting the allegation, while Comey has previously defended the bureau's actions during the investigation period.
During the interview, Trump was asked whether he feared future Democratic administrations could pursue legal action against officials serving under Republican presidents. In response, Trump argued that similar actions had already been taken against him over several years, including before he officially entered office following the 2016 election.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump just DROPPED THE MIC.REPORTER: Are you worried a Democrat president will indict your FBI director now? [Following Comey]TRUMP: "Well, that's what they tried to do! They went after me for 4 YEARS, and that doesn't include the 4 years I had in the…pic.twitter.com/uClMu4nT1W
🚨 NOW: President Trump is GOING OFF on James Comey for threatening his life with "8647""Does anybody believe this guy??? A Dirty Cop!!!"COMEY: "We were just walking on the beach!""Walking on the beach with my wife. Never occurred to me it was controversial."LOCK HIM UP!pic.twitter.com/XgrSmbbMce
'Before I came to office, I started hearing rumours about Russia,' Trump said. 'I said, what the hell do I have to do with Russia?'
Trump claimed allegations surrounding Russia were amplified by political opponents and sections of the media.
When asked whether his comments reflected a desire for revenge, Trump rejected that characterisation and instead described his position as a matter of 'justice'.
Trump's latest remarks came shortly after a judge set a July trial date for Comey to face criminal charges linked to a social media post made last year. According tocourt filings, the charges relate to anInstagram imageshowing seashells arranged into the numbers '86 47', which prosecutors argued could be interpreted as a threat against Trump, the 47th US president.
Source: International Business Times UK
