President Donald Trump reacted to the news that a special prosecutor will investigate his administration in the most predictable way: on Twitter.
As The Washington Post reports, former FBI director Robert S. Mueller III was appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein to investigate the following:
Mueller is tasked with investigating “any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump’’ as well as “any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation’’ and any other matters that fall under the scope of the Justice Department regulation covering special counsel appointments.
Read all about Robert Mueller on NPR. His choice has been widely lauded as a solid one from both sides of the usually strictly-partisan party divide.
The naming of a special prosecutor is the decision of the Justice Department. But the leader of that department, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, reportedly had nothing to do with the decision, according to Politico. Sessions, a close ally of Donald Trump, had recused himself from any investigation into Russia due to "his own still largely unexplained role in it," via a New York Times report from early March.
In a statement announcing the special prosecutor, Rosenstein stressed that it "is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted." Rather, via Politico, he reasoned:
"A special counsel is necessary in order for the American people to have full confidence in the outcome. Our nation is grounded on the rule of law, and the Public must be assured that government officials administer the law fairly."
Originally, Trump's White House statement was measured. From CBS News on Wednesday:
"As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know – there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity," Mr. Trump said in a statement issued by the White House. "I look forward to this matter concluding quickly. In the meantime, I will never stop fighting for the people and the issues that matter most to the future of our country."
Apparently, Trump felt compelled to follow up that statement on Twitter on Thursday morning. Compare the above response to this one:
And expect more tweets to come throughout the week.