President Trump rips Andrew McCabe's claims as 'deranged' hours after '60 Minutes' interview
Donald Trump ripped Andrew McCabe's "deranged" claims on Monday, hours after the former deputy FBI director said on "60 Minutes" that there had been talk of trying to remove the President from office.
McCabe said during the interview, which aired Sunday night, that the FBI was justified in launching an investigation into whether Trump was in league with Russia following the firing of then-FBI Director James Comey in 2017.
In addition, McCabe recounted how he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein came close to approaching Vice President Mike Pence to ask him to invoke the 25th Amendment to have Trump booted from the White House. A clause in the amendment addresses a leader's competency and mental fitness.
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President Trump responded to the allegations in a series of tweets on Monday, saying McCabe was "fired for lying, and now his story gets even more deranged."
"He and Rod Rosenstein, who was hired by Jeff Sessions (another beauty), look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught.....," Trump tweeted.
Wow, so many lies by now disgraced acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. He was fired for lying, and now his story gets even more deranged. He and Rod Rosenstein, who was hired by Jeff Sessions (another beauty), look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2019
"....There is a lot of explaining to do to the millions of people who had just elected a president who they really like and who has done a great job for them with the Military, Vets, Economy and so much more," he continued. "This was the illegal and treasonous 'insurance policy' in full action!"
Trump's boast of his performance comes after McCabe openly questioned the President's motives and competency. McCabe said it was Rosenstein who originally raised the 25th Amendment.
“Rod raised the issue and discussed it with me in the context of thinking about how many other cabinet officials might support such an effort,” McCabe told Scott Pelley of "60 Minutes."
A spokeswoman for McCabe said Friday that "at no time" did he participate in "extended" discussions about the use of the 25th Amendment.
McCabe was fired from the Justice Department last year after being accused of misleading investigators in a probe about leaks to the media.
"I believe I was fired because I opened a case against the president of the United States," he said on "60 Minutes."
With News Wire Services
