Trump decries "fake news" on pardons while slamming leaks
President Trump appeared to suggest he was not considering exploring presidential pardons of his associates and aides in the ongoing Russia investigation in a Saturday morning tweet, and instead pivoted to the issue of alleged leaks emanating from the administration.
"While all agree the U.S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS," Mr. Trump said in a tweet.
While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
Mr. Trump's latest tweet comes after his outside lawyer denied to CBS News that his legal team was exploring issuing pardons, despite reports on the contrary.
"Pardons are not being discussed and are not on the table," Jay Sekulow, a member of Mr. Trump's legal team, told CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett
Sekulow's denial followed a Washington Post report that the legal team had been discussing the president's authority to grant pardons" with respect to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
The report went on to say that Mr. Trump had "asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with the probe, according to one of those people. A second person said Trump's lawyers have been discussing the president's pardoning powers among themselves."
The Post added that one adviser said the president "has simply expressed a curiosity" in the overall reach of his pardoning abilities as well as the limits to the Russia investigation.
Sekulow had most recently told CBS News' Face the Nation that the Trump legal team has had "no notification from the special counsel" in regards to Mr. Trump being under investigation, adding that the team has also received no notification from the Senate Intelligence Committee suggesting the same.