On Thursday, President Donald Trump tweeted out a series of ranting denials and attacks to defend himself from impeachment, bragging that Rep Adam’s Schiff presentation was “weak” and claiming that former President Barack Obama also withheld funds from Ukraine and other nations.
Trump started off by summarizing claims made by a former Bush administration official on Fox News, and then repeated false claims made by his defense attorneys during the Senate trial.
“In an Impeachment, you can’t use a work of fiction as the theory for the case, filling in gaps with presumptions against the President,” Trump tweeted, paraphrasing former State Department official Robert Charles. “It was a weak presentation, self indulgent, & he didn’t deliver the goods.”
Trump’s attorneys falsely claimed that House Democrats barred Republicans and the president’s legal team from the impeachment inquiry, and the president repeated those claims in his next tweet.
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“The Democrat House would not give us lawyers, or not one witness, but now demand that the Republican Senate produce the witnesses that the House never sought, or even asked for?” Trump tweeted. “They had their chance, but pretended to rush. Most unfair & corrupt hearing in Congressional history!”
“No matter what you give to the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats, it will never be enough!” he added.
He then made misleading comparisons — addressed by Rep. Adam Schiff during his opening statements — between his freeze on Ukraine aid and previous pauses on foreign aid.
“The Democrats & Shifty Schiff, whose presentation to the Senate was loaded with lies and misrepresentations, are refusing to state that the Obama Administration withheld aid from many countries including Ukraine, Pakistan, Philippines, Egypt, Honduras, & Mexico,” Trump tweeted. “Witch Hunt!”
Twitter users were quick to respond.
In an Impeachment, you can’t use a work of fiction as the theory for the case, filling in gaps with presumptions against the President. It was a weak presentation, self indulgent, & he didn’t deliver the goods.” Robert Charles, @HeatherChilders @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2020
The Democrats & Shifty Schiff, whose presentation to the Senate was loaded with lies and misrepresentations, are refusing to state that the Obama Administration withheld aid from many countries including Ukraine, Pakistan, Philippines, Egypt, Honduras, & Mexico. Witch Hunt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2020
Check out some of the responses:
let's unFox this tweet:
– withholding aid in order to advance the interests of the United States IS NOT abuse of power
– withholding aid in order to gain personal advantage over a political opponent IS abuse of power
maybe get your youngest son to explain it, it's not that tough
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) January 23, 2020
Obama never w/held Military aid in order to have that govt make up a bogus investigation on a political rival like you did w/ @JoeBiden, Trump. You told Ukraine, you’ll get the aid AFTER you announce it on CNN.
And you hid the call!https://t.co/W2yHCn5VWP
— Maureen Antonio (@santamonicamoe) January 23, 2020
If you’re relegated to quoting FOX then you’ve lost your argument.
— This too shall pass…. (@Coquii73) January 23, 2020
imagine having a staff of lawyers at your beck and call and choosing instead to learn about how impeachment works from the vapid bobbleheads on Racist Romper Room™
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) January 23, 2020
BEST presentation in the history of Congress! Adam Schiff was AMAZING! REPsenate can't handle the truth! Walk wusses!#AdamShiffROCKS #TellTheTruth #ImpeachmentTrial @GOP @MittRomney @SenRickScott @LindseyGrahamSC @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski
— Ruta Maria Jouniari (@vote4ruta) January 23, 2020
bUT obAmA!!!
Obama didn't ask Honduras to investigate Mitt Romney, hun.
— Comfortably Numb (@YGalanter) January 23, 2020
Witnesses, Testimony and Evidence of Your Criminality.
That's what This IMPEACHMENT Trial is about.
Your ABUSE of POWER and OBSTRUCTION of CONGRESS.
Your Tenure is OVER. pic.twitter.com/oPeFwOb8iP
— ❈ Monika Beyer ❈ (@Dragonfly_Drama) January 23, 2020
