President Trump responded in Trumpian fashion on Thursday to recent criticism from former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
“James Clapper, who famously got caught lying to Congress, is now an authority on Donald Trump. Will he show you his beautiful letter to me?” Trump tweeted.
James Clapper, who famously got caught lying to Congress, is now an authority on Donald Trump. Will he show you his beautiful letter to me?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2017
On Tuesday, Clapper blasted Trump following his fiery campaign speech in Phoenix.
“I really question his ability, his fitness to be in this office, and I also am beginning to wonder about his motivation for it. Maybe he is looking for a way out,” Clapper said in an interview with CNN, where he was recently hired as a contributor. (RELATED: Clapper Says He’s Concerned That Trump Has Access To Nuclear Codes)
“How much longer does the country have to, to borrow a phrase, endure this nightmare?” he asked, adding that he is concerned about Trump’s access to nuclear codes.
In his jab at Clapper, Trump referred to testimony that the former Obama administration official gave in 2013 during about the National Security Agency’s collection of information on U.S. citizens.
Clapper responded to the question, falsely: “No, sir. … Not wittingly. There are cases where they could inadvertently, perhaps, collect. But not wittingly.”
Clapper later apologized for his “clearly erroneous” testimony but insisted that he did not lie during the hearing.
“So, yes, I made a mistake. But I did not lie. There’s a big difference,” he said.
It is not clear what letter Trump is referring to in his tweet.