This morning, Donald Trump met with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to discuss a possible infrastructure bill. Rather than approach the meeting in good faith, he showed up and demanded an end to the investigations into his administration. When the Democrats declined, he stormed out.
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In meeting with Schumer and Pelosi this morning, Trump walked in briefly, said he didn't plan to negotiate unless investigations stopped and left. Complained about Pelosi's "cover up" comment. No hand shakes. "No one ever even sat down," per aide. He then went to Rose Garden.
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) May 22, 2019
Soon after, the White House announced a last-minute press conference to be delivered in the Rose Garden, and reporters arrived unsure what to expect.
We are going to the Rose Garden for — something.
The president is scheduled to be meeting with Dems on infrastructure right now.
— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) May 22, 2019
When reporters showed up, they were greeted by a truly pathetic sign affixed to the president’s podium designed to trash Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation into the 2016 election and Russian interference.
It listed the cost of the probe as $35+ million, whined about the number of subpoenas issued, the length of the investigation, the number of witnesses, and the “18 Angry Democrats” who Trump insisted were out to get him, despite the fact that the men and women spearheading Mueller’s team were Republicans. Conveniently, the little sign failed to mention that investigation actually generated tens of millions of dollars in seized assets.
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For a man who insists he is completely exonerated, the president sure seems worried about Congress’s ongoing investigations. This is the tawdry act of a guilty conscience, not the victory lap of an innocent man.
Podium set up in the Rose Garden with statistics on the Mueller investigation. pic.twitter.com/cZMytbKbvS
— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) May 22, 2019
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Then, the speech began. Trump came out swinging with a whopper of a lie by claiming that he is “the most transparent president probably in the history of this country.” This is the same man who still refuses to release his tax returns, whose administration has instructed his Attorney General to ignore Congressional subpoenas, and who still refuses to release the full, unredacted Mueller Report. One struggles to think of ways in which he could possibly be any less transparent.
President Trump invited Democrat leaders to the White House today to discuss a bipartisan bill to fix America's crumbling infrastructure.
Democrats decided to make today about something else: politics. Just like they have every other day. pic.twitter.com/Mgoh2n1UEC
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 22, 2019
President Trump followed it up with another blatant lie by saying that he “doesn’t do coverups.” Of course, we know he paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels to cover up his extramarital affair with her. The fact that Trump thinks the American people are so stupid as to forget that shows how little he thinks of us.
Stormy Daniels hush payments could not be reached for comment pic.twitter.com/UaoCsJPr5c
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2019
Trump then defended his incompetent and crooked son Donald Trump Jr. by referring to him as a “good young man” making him sound more like a teenage boy than the 41-year-old man who has been helping the president spread lies and run The Trump Organization. Donald Trump Jr. may have the intellect of a child, but he’s an adult who must be held accountable for his actions.
Trump describes @DonaldJTrumpJr, who is 41, as "a good young man." pic.twitter.com/KCeev3tdt5
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2019
Next, President Trump addressed the whispers of impeachment that have begun to spread through Capitol Hill, calling it “The Big I Word.” He said he “can’t imagine that” would happen, but the simple fact that he’s addressing it shows he’s worried. He has committed numerous impeachable offenses and he knows it. Unfortunately for him, “The Big I Word” isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
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Trump refers to impeachment as "the big I-word" pic.twitter.com/fu7j04JkgT
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2019
President Trump moved into a sniffling, slurred, and rambling bit about the infrastructure bill he keeps insisting he really wants and how he plans to get drugs prices down. In reality, his only priority is saving his own skin, so don’t expect any real progress. It’s far more likely we’ll just be subjected to more unhinged rants like this one.
Trump, who seemed to be having difficulties with his mouth, just had a public temper tantrum that doubled as a news conference of sorts pic.twitter.com/Eo6UxfGwY2
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2019
Perhaps the best summary of the wild speech was given by MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.
"I don't do coverups" is in "I'm not a crook" territory
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) May 22, 2019