U.S. President Donald Trump, at his first political rally since the end of the two-year Russia collusion investigation, unleashed a furious attack on cheerleaders of the probe into alleged ties between his 2016 election campaign and Moscow.
The “group of major losers” went beyond personal attacks, according to Trump, and tried to tear up the fabric of American democracy, refusing to accept the results of the presidential election.
They were “trying to sabotage the will of the American people” and “illegally regain power by framing innocent Americans,” claimed Trump at a boisterous rally Thursday night in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
‘Collusion delusion’
Although special counsel Robert Mueller’s report has not been released, the president says it totally exonerates him.
However, a four-page summary written by U.S. Attorney General William Barr states that while the “report does not conclude the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”
Taking a victory lap on the rally stage, Trump, however, declared that “after three years of lies, smears and slander, the Russia hoax is finally dead. The collusion delusion is over.”
Trump unleashed particular vitriol at two powerful House Democrats, Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler, who are among those in Congress vowing to continue investigating him, his election campaign and Trump businesses.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Schiff is a “little pencil-neck,” said Trump, who subsequently mentioned Nadler, chairman of the House judiciary committee, and declared, “these people are sick.”
Earlier in the day, Schiff faced calls from Republicans to resign as committee chairman. He immediately hit back at them citing what he called “evidence of collusion” between Trump and Russia.
Democrats want to see full report
‘Nadler is among the Democrats requesting Barr send Congress the full Mueller report by April 2.
“Show us the report and we’ll come to our own conclusions,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday in a message directed at the attorney general.
Pelosi questioned what the president and the Republicans are afraid of, mocking them as “scaredy-cats.”
Deepening divide
Trump also continued with his criticism of the “fake news media,” whom he accused of teaming with “the deep state” of trying but failing to overturn the results of the 2016 election.
“Many people were badly hurt by this scam, but more importantly our country was hurt,” Trump said.
Thursday’s verbal barrages fired by the Republican president and the opposition Democrats put on stark display the deepening political divide in America.
A diverse group of Democrats, including six women, as well as black, Hispanic and openly gay candidates, is vying to challenge Trump in 2020.
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