President Donald Trump shredded Sen. [score]Richard Blumenthal[/score] in a series of tweets Thursday morning, after Blumenthal leaked details of a private conversation with Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
The first 6:57 a.m. EST tweet reads: “Sen.Richard Blumenthal, who never fought in Vietnam when he said for years he had (major lie),now misrepresents what Judge Gorsuch told him?”
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
Sen.Richard Blumenthal, who never fought in Vietnam when he said for years he had (major lie),now misrepresents what Judge Gorsuch told him?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017
The second, sent at 8:19 a.m. EST, reads: “Chris Cuomo, in his interview with Sen. Blumenthal, never asked him about his long-term lie about his brave “service” in Vietnam. FAKE NEWS!”
Chris Cuomo, in his interview with Sen. Blumenthal, never asked him about his long-term lie about his brave "service" in Vietnam. FAKE NEWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017
Blumenthal’s office made headlines late Wednesday night when it revealed that Judge Neil Gorsuch called Trump’s recent attacks on the judiciary “disheartening and demoralizing” in a private meeting with Blumenthal that day. Though Gorsuch initially told Blumenthal he did not want his comments to go public, his spokesman, Ron Bonjean, later confirmed his statements to Blumenthal.
Trump struck back, dredging up Blumenthal’s past improprieties about the Vietnam War.
Blumenthal — then Connecticut’s attorney general — lied on more than one occasion about fighting in the Vietnam War. He served stateside in the Marine Corps Reserve during the war, not in Vietnam.
He apologized (more or less) in an email statement in May 2010 in which he wrote:
At times when I have sought to honor veterans, I have not been as clear or precise as I should have been about my service in the Marine Corps Reserves. I have firmly and clearly expressed regret and taken responsibility for my words. I have made mistakes and I am sorry. I truly regret offending anyone.
The president signed an executive order Jan. 27 that suspended immigration from seven Middle Eastern countries that either sponsor terrorism or harbor terrorist. The order indefinitely suspended entrance for Syrian refugees.
Trump nominated Gorsuch to replace late Justice Antonin Scalia Jan. 31.
This report, by Katie Frates, was cross-posted by arrangement with the Daily Caller News Foundation.
