President Trump on Tuesday acknowledged an effort to remove certain officials from his administration, saying that he wants people working for him who are “loyal to our country.”
Trump reacted to a question about reports that White House personnel chief John McEntee is targeting officials viewed as disloyal.
Trump said he didn’t think it would be “very many people” but that his White House wants people “that are good for the country.” The president did not explicitly addressing reports about lists of anti-Trump administration officials that have been compiled by the White House staff and outside allies.
“I don’t think it’s a big problem. I don’t think it’s very many people,” Trump told reporters at a press conference in New Delhi near the conclusion of a two-day trip to India.
Trump went on to complain about the anonymous intelligence community whistleblower who filed a complaint about his interactions with Ukraine that eventually led to his impeachment.
Combustible Republican Senate primary in Texas heading into overtime
BREAKING: Jasmine Crockett Gets Stomped in Primary as Even Democrats Find Tolerating Her Presence Impossible
Austin suspect unleashed anti-Christian, antisemitic, misogynistic rants on social media before mass shooting
New York AG orders Manhattan hospital to resume gender-transition treatment for transgender youth
Natural gas prices surge worldwide as Iran conflict crimps supply
BREAKING: Masked Man Arrested Outside GOP Campaign Event – Cops Bagging Multiple Rifle and Pistol Magazines – No Injuries
Trump says NYC Mayor Mamdani made ‘big progress’ embracing Declaration of Independence
Watch: Australian News Host Becomes Legend – Starts Speaking Persian and Signs Off with Brutal Curse for Khamenei That She’d Never Get Away with in English
BREAKING: Largest US Base in Middle East Hit by Ballistic Missile from Iran – Details Still Coming In
Waymo autonomous car blocks ambulance crew responding to deadly Austin mass shooting
Watch the most viral moments as Kristi Noem’s hearing goes off the rails
Israel First? MAGA divide erupts over allegations Netanyahu pushed US into Iran conflict
Iran retaliation fears fail to move Democrats on DHS shutdown
Lindsey Graham already moves on from Iran, warns ‘Cuba is next’
Nancy Mace to force vote targeting fellow GOP lawmaker accused of affair with staffer
He asserted that the person was “fake” and that the complaint “bore no relationship” to the transcript of his call with Ukraine’s leader, though the whistleblower complaint is widely viewed to have accurately depicted the details of Trump’s July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I think we had a whistleblower who was a fake because if you look at the whistleblower as an example, if you look at his report, and then you compare that to the transcripts, it bore no relationship,” Trump said. Trump did not say specifically whether he expected the whistleblower, who reportedly works for the CIA, to be among those ousted from the administration.
“We want to have people that are good for the country, that are loyal to our country, because that was a disgraceful situation,” Trump continued.
The president has sought to oust individuals he views as having crossed him during his impeachment, installing loyalists in top roles in their stead. The White House removed impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman from his role on the National Security Council, for instance, and Trump fired Gordon Sondland as his ambassador to the European Union.
Meanwhile, last week, the president tapped U.S. ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, a close ally, as acting director of national intelligence. Critics have argued that his appointment showed Trump is favoring loyalists over those with necessary experience to fill roles.
Story cited here.
