Now, Trump blames Obama for leaks and protests against him, Republicans

Trump, however, did not offer any evidence for his claim

Donald Trump, us budget, us defence
US President Donald Trump speaks during the Governor's Dinner in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington. Photo: Reuters
IANS Washington
Last Updated : Feb 28 2017 | 3:19 PM IST
US President Donald Trump has accused his predecessor Barack Obama of being responsible for the leaks within his administration and the sizable, angry town-hall crowds Republicans have faced across the country.

Trump was asked in an interview on Fox News' Fox and Friends if he believed Obama was responsible for the town-hall protests against Republicans this month.

"It turns out his organisation seems to do a lot of these organising to some of the protests that these Republicans are seeing around the country against you. Do you believe President Obama is behind it and if he is, is that a violation of the so-called unsaid Presidents' code?" Trump was asked.

"No, I think he is behind it. I also think it is politics, that's the way it is," Trump said in the interview, a clip of which was released Monday night.

Trump then discussed the leaks that have disrupted his first month in office.

"You never know what's exactly happening behind the scenes. You know, you're probably right or possibly right, but you never know," Trump said in another preview clip of the interview.

"No, I think that President Obama is behind it because his people are certainly behind it. And some of the leaks possibly come from that group, which are really serious because they are very bad in terms of national security. But I also understand that is politics. In terms of him being behind things, that's politics. And it will probably continue," Trump said.

Trump, however, did not offer any evidence for his claim.

Earlier this month, Trump told Fox News that reports of his calls with the leaders of Mexico and Australia were caused by leaks from "Obama people".

Trump's administration has been beset by leaks within his administration to the media, and he has continually railed against those doing the leaks and against the media since taking office. He has said the leaks are damaging to national security.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 28 2017 | 3:18 PM IST

Next Story