Donald Trump has responded to the arrest of his former campaign manager Paul Manafort by mischaracterising the nature of the indictment against Manafort.
Writing on Twitter on Monday afternoon, Trump wrote “Sorry, but this is years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign. But why aren’t Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus?????”
Trump’s claim that “this is years ago” is refuted by the indictment itself, which plainly charges Manafort with laundering money he made while working in Ukraine “at least through 2016.”
Sorry, but this is years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign. But why aren't Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus?????
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2017
….Also, there is NO COLLUSION!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2017
The indictment also charges that Manafort, along with his associate Rick Gates, acted as an unregistered agent of the Ukrainian government until as recently as 2015.
Manafort was hired by Trump campaign in March of 2016, and the 68-year-old was made campaign chair in May, before eventually being replaced by Steve Bannon in August.
It has also been revealed that a Trump aide, George Papadopoulos, has already pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI on the matter of communicating with Russians as part of the Trump campaign.
BREAKING: Court papers: Former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos pleads guilty to lying to FBI agents in Mueller probe.
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 30, 2017
Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos's false statements to the FBI are directly related to Russian interference pic.twitter.com/sTKYPy4xl1
— Adam Serwer 🍝 (@AdamSerwer) October 30, 2017
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