Friday was a busy day for breaking news about the government. Not only did we learn about the latest indictments in Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian tampering with the 2016 election, we also learned that the FBI received a credible warning about the Parkland, Florida school shooter and failed to act. Both developments are shocking and unfortunate for different reasons, but it might be the President’s reaction to them that is even more disappointing.
As he is known to do, President Trump tweeted about the FBI’s missed opportunity to stop the shooter before he could act. But in the process, he managed to make it about the Russia investigation and himself.
Very sad that the FBI missed all of the many signals sent out by the Florida school shooter. This is not acceptable. They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign – there is no collusion. Get back to the basics and make us all proud!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2018
The general reaction from critics and observers is disgust at the president for using the murder of 17 in Florida to continue his war of words with the FBI and his own Justice Department. It didn’t stop at just the one tweet on Saturday night, though. It led to a flurry of posts on Sunday morning that continued to discuss Russia and criticize the Obama administration.
I never said Russia did not meddle in the election, I said “it may be Russia, or China or another country or group, or it may be a 400 pound genius sitting in bed and playing with his computer.” The Russian “hoax” was that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia – it never did!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2018
Never gotten over the fact that Obama was able to send $1.7 Billion Dollars in CASH to Iran and nobody in Congress, the FBI or Justice called for an investigation!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2018
Now that Adam Schiff is starting to blame President Obama for Russian meddling in the election, he is probably doing so as yet another excuse that the Democrats, lead by their fearless leader, Crooked Hillary Clinton, lost the 2016 election. But wasn’t I a great candidate?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2018
The president continues to ignore calls for stricter gun laws and action in the wake of the Florida shooting. His last statement on the matter came before his criticism of the FBI, blaming Democrats for not passing gun legislation when they had majorities in Congress. Prior to that he essentially blamed the victims of the Florida school shooting, tweeting, “Neighbors and classmates knew he was a big problem. Must always report such instances to authorities, again and again!” Trump also hasn’t made mention of the legislation he signed to roll back an Obama-era rule that made it harder for the mentally ill to obtain guns.
Just like they don’t want to solve the DACA problem, why didn’t the Democrats pass gun control legislation when they had both the House & Senate during the Obama Administration. Because they didn’t want to, and now they just talk!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2018