President Donald Trump addressed the impending departure of his White House counsel Don McGahn in a series of Thursday tweets.
Trump first announced McGahn’s departure in a Wednesday morning tweet after a report from Axios that he was planning on leaving sometime in the fall.
White House Counsel Don McGahn will be leaving his position in the fall, shortly after the confirmation (hopefully) of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court. I have worked with Don for a long time and truly appreciate his service!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2018
McGahn’s departure sparked an avalanche of cable news coverage and a New York Times report alleging that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump pushed the White House counsel out the door. Trump responded angrily to that report Thursday morning, saying:
Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner had NOTHING to do with the so called “pushing out” of Don McGahn.The Fake News Media has it, purposely,so wrong! They love to portray chaos in the White House when they know that chaos doesn’t exist-just a “smooth running machine” with changing parts!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2018
Trump then continued that the Russia investigation had nothing to do with his “decision” to tweet about McGahn’s departure. The president also made clear that McGahn was not the chief person advising him not to fire his Attorney General Jeff Sessions or special counsel Robert Mueller.
The Rigged Russia Witch Hunt did not come into play, even a little bit, with respect to my decision on Don McGahn!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2018
I am very excited about the person who will be taking the place of Don McGahn as White House Counsel! I liked Don, but he was NOT responsible for me not firing Bob Mueller or Jeff Sessions. So much Fake Reporting and Fake News!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2018