WASHINGTON — President Trump said on Wednesday that he thought that the former national security adviser Susan E. Rice
may have committed a crime by seeking the identities of Trump
associates who were mentioned on intercepted communications and that
other Obama administration officials may also have been involved.
“I
think it’s going to be the biggest story,” Mr. Trump said in an
interview in the Oval Office, declining repeated requests for evidence
for his allegations or the names of other Obama administration
officials. “It’s such an important story for our country and the world.
It is one of the big stories of our time.”
He
declined to say if he had personally reviewed new intelligence to
bolster his claim but pledged to explain himself “at the right time.”
When
asked if Ms. Rice, who has denied leaking the names of Trump associates
under surveillance by United States intelligence agencies, had
committed a crime, the president said, “Do I think? Yes, I think.”
Ms.
Rice has denied any impropriety. In an interview on Tuesday with MSNBC,
she said: “The allegation is that somehow the Obama administration
officials utilized intelligence for political purposes. That’s
absolutely false.”
Mr.
Trump criticized media outlets, including The New York Times, for
failing to adequately cover the Rice controversy — while singling out
Fox News and the host Bill O’Reilly for praise, despite reports this
week that the veteran conservative commentator settled five lawsuits
filed by women claiming sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior. The
president then went on to defend Mr. O’Reilly, who has hosted him
frequently over the years.
“I
think he’s a person I know well — he is a good person,” said Mr. Trump,
who during the interview was surrounded at his desk by a half-dozen of
his highest-ranking aides, including the economic adviser Gary Cohn and
Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, along with Vice President Mike Pence.
“I
think he shouldn’t have settled; personally I think he shouldn’t have
settled,” said Mr. Trump. “Because you should have taken it all the way.
I don’t think Bill did anything wrong.”
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