24 July,2017 10:28 AM IST | Washington | Agencies
US president's new talking point has analysts thinking he is looking at options if Russia probe doesn't go his way
US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump declared on Saturday that he has "complete power to pardon", as his administration confronts ongoing investigations of possible collusion between his 2016 campaign and Russian government.
In a series of early morning Twitter messages, Trump aired renewed frustration with his attorney general, the special counsel leading the Russia probe, and Republicans in Congress who are struggling to advance his legislative agenda.
But Trump's comment about pardons, tucked into an attack on the media, raised the possibility that he was considering his options if the investigations do not turn out the way he hopes. Trump did not specify who, if anyone, he might consider pardoning.
His tweets appeared to be written in response to a report by The Washington Post this week that Trump and his legal team have examined presidential powers to pardon Trump aides, family members and possibly even himself.
"While all agree the U.S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS," Trump tweeted.
Mucci scrubs tweets of past stances
Trump's new communications chief Anthony Scaramucci has deleted tweets in which he shared views contrary to the US president's own, saying they were a distraction. The day after he started his new job, Scaramucci tweeted, "Full transparency: I'm deleting old tweets. Past views evolved & shouldn't be a distraction. I serve @POTUS agenda & that's all that matters."
