Donald Trump appears to have just discovered that he isn’t a dictator and doesn’t have complete control of the FBI and Justice Department.
According to a new report from The Hill, the president said he is “frustrated” that he isn’t “supposed to be involved” in overseeing any potential investigation into his former opponent, Hillary Clinton.
“The saddest thing, is because I’m the president of the United States, I’m not supposed to be involved in the Justice Department,” Trump said in an interview, apparently just discovering that his position does have limits. “I am not supposed to be involved in the FBI. I’m not supposed to be doing the kinds of things I would love to be doing and I’m very frustrated by it.”
Though Trump is correct that he is “not supposed to be involved” in the FBI’s work, he seemed to have forgotten that earlier this year when he admitted that he fired former FBI director James Comey because of the Russia investigation.
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But in this rare moment of truth-telling from Trump, he essentially admitted that he wishes he could use the full weight of the FBI and Department of Justice to go after his political opponents, regardless of the fact that there is no merit to the slew of allegations the right-wing has thrown at Clinton. This is a stunning and dangerous admission from a President of the United States.
Meanwhile, in the reality-based world, there is a legitimate and increasingly damning investigation circling the White House in relation to the president’s ties to Russia during last year’s election. Three Trump officials have already been charged and more are likely to come.
If there is any investigation Trump should be worried about, it’s the one that is pushing his administration closer to complete collapse – not the phony one he wishes he could wage against Hillary Clinton.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
