President Trump on Friday pushed back against his former personal attorney Michael Cohen’s claim that he knew about the 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between Trump campaign officials and a Russian lawyer.
“I did NOT know of the meeting with my son, Don jr.” the president tweeted. “Sounds to me like someone is trying to make up stories in order to get himself out of an unrelated jam (Taxi cabs maybe?).”
Trump was referring to Cohen’s ownership of taxi medallions, which are being examined by FBI investigators.
The president also hit Cohen over the attorney representing him, Lanny Davis, who was special counsel to former President Bill Clinton.
“He even retained Bill and Crooked Hillary’s lawyer. Gee, I wonder if they helped him make the choice!” Trump added.
.....I did NOT know of the meeting with my son, Don jr. Sounds to me like someone is trying to make up stories in order to get himself out of an unrelated jam (Taxi cabs maybe?). He even retained Bill and Crooked Hillary’s lawyer. Gee, I wonder if they helped him make the choice!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 27, 2018
CNN reported Thursday that “sources” told the network Cohen claims Trump knew ahead of time about the June 2016 meeting and “is willing to make that assertion to special counsel Robert Mueller.” Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and others have said the president did not know about the meeting.
Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani slammed Cohen on Thursday, calling him a “pathological liar.”
“He’s been lying all week, he’s been lying for years,” Giuliani said on CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time."
“The tapes that we have demonstrate any number of very serious lies back a year and a half ago, including his fooling people, hiding tape recordings, telling them they aren’t recorded, lying to their face, breaking faith with them,” Giuliani said, referring to Cohen. “I don’t see how he has any credibility.”
“He has lied all his life… a person who is found to be an incredible liar, he’s got a tremendous motive to lie now… I don’t think anyone believes that.” Rudy Giuliani dismisses report Michael Cohen claims Trump knew in advance of 2016 Trump Tower meeting https://t.co/xd4PFYYpcQ pic.twitter.com/9gxjNGWLRA
— Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) July 27, 2018