Trump calls the Mueller probe ‘a hoax’ in his first public comments since the release of the investigation’s redacted report

Jim Young/Reuters

Shortly after the public release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s redacted report, President Donald Trump called the probe "a hoax" that "should never happen to another president again" at an event for wounded veterans.
In the 448-page report, released Thursday, the special counsel team said they did not find sufficient evidence to bring a charge of conspiracy against anyone involved in the Trump campaign.
The report also said that while Mueller’s team did not make a "traditional prosecutorial judgment" as to whether Trump obstructed the Mueller probe itself and other federal investigations involving him, they could not "exonerate" him.
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Shortly after the public release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s redacted report, President Donald Trump called the probe "a hoax" that "should never happen to another president again" at an event for wounded veterans.

"We do have to get to the bottom of these things, I will say. And this should never happen, I say in front of my friends, Wounded Warriors, but I just call them warriors… this should never happen to another president again, this hoax. It should never happen to another president again," Trump said.

Also on Thursday, Trump’s legal team released a statement calling the report "a total victory for the President" that underscores what we have argued from the very beginning – there was no collusion – there was no obstruction."

In the 448-page report, released Thursday, the special counsel team said they did not find sufficient evidence to bring a charge of conspiracy against anyone involved in the Trump campaign for illegally coordinating with Russia to influence the 2016 election.

The report also said that while Mueller’s team did not make a "traditional prosecutorial judgment" as to whether Trump obstructed the Mueller probe itself and other federal investigations involving him, they could not "exonerate" him of allegations of obstruction of justice.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump responded to the redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s final report with a triumphant "Game of Thrones"-themed image stating, "no collusion, no obstruction, for the haters and radical left Democrats, game over."

For the nearly two years that Mueller’s team pursued their investigation, Trump attacked it as "rigged witch hunt" led by "angry Democrats," and claimed hundreds of times there was "no collusion" between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

In the days leading up to the report’s release — when the White House was reportedly briefed on Mueller’s findings– Trump’s tone on social media became more adversarial, attacking federal prosecutors as "dirty cops," re-tweeting claims alleging criminal activity by Hillary Clinton, and tweeting a video montage of the many times he claimed there had been "no collusion."

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Source: Business Insider – gpanetta@businessinsider.com (Grace Panetta)