Category: fox-news/person/donald-trump

House Republicans divided over push to ‘expunge’ Trump impeachment

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House Republicans are divided over a recent proposal to expunge former President Trump's second impeachment from the House records, with many lawmakers concerned it could harm them in upcoming elections.

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., proposed the largely symbolic move last week. It remains to be seen whether they have the votes to move forward, however, as some GOP members are outright opposed to the effort and others harbor campaign concerns.

CNN's Manu Raju asked Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., whether he would support the move last week.

"Not at this point, no," Bacon responded. "It sounds a little bit weird to me. It is what it is, it happened."

SEN. VANCE BLOCKS BIDEN'S DOJ NOMINEES IN RESPONSE TO TRUMP INDICTMENT: 'THIS MUST STOP'

Meanwhile, Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., and David Valadao, R-Calif., both voted to impeach Trump following Jan. 6, 2021 and are sure to oppose any effort to remove the stain.

The debate comes as Trump is facing an entirely new set of charges as part of Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the former president. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges relating to his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

HOW THE TRUMP INDICTMENT PUTS OUR COUNTRY ON TRIAL

MARCO RUBIO WARNS US WILL PAY 'TERRIBLE PRICE' FOR TRUMP INDICTMENT: 'YOU THINK THIS ENDS HERE?'

Stefanik called the June 13 arraignment a "dark day for our country" as "Joe Biden continues to fully weaponize the federal government against President Trump, his leading opponent for the White House in 2024."

"America was founded on the principle of equal justice under law," the New York Republican continued. "The American people see the glaring double standard: one set of rules if your last name is Biden or Clinton and another set of rules for everyone else. It’s never been more important that we unite behind President Trump's historic campaign to win the White House, to restore the rule of law, and save our Republic. God bless America, President Trump, and all those targeted by Biden’s regime as we continue our efforts to end this corrupt political weaponization and stop the deep state."

The charges against Trump include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements. It is the first time in U.S. history that a former president has faced federal criminal charges.

Trump lead grows following indictment, one factor continues to be thorn in Biden’s side with voters: poll

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Former President Donald Trump continues to lead as the GOP frontrunner after being indicted on federal charges in early June, however, nearly half of GOP voters surveyed are skeptical over whether he should continue to lead the Republican Party, according to a new poll.

A new NBC poll shows a majority of Republican voters would vote for Trump in the Republican primary, with 51% listing him as their number one choice. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis came in second with 22% of the votes and former Vice President Mike Pence coming in third with 7%. 

These new numbers come in comparison to how the candidates fared with GOP voters back in April shortly after Trump was indicted in New York in connection to hush-money payments made in 2016. 46% of Republican voters supported Trump then and 31% said they were backing DeSantis. 

After pleading not guilty to 37 federal charges related to his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in June, a combined total of 77% of GOP primary voters stated the federal charges gave them either minor concerns (14%) or no real concerns (63%). 64% of Republican voters also said the various indictments and investigations Trump faces are politically motivated. 

TRUMP SAYS HE'S 'PROUD TO BE THE MOST PRO-LIFE PRESIDENT' IN US HISTORY ON ANNIVERSARY OF ROE V. WADE OVERTURN

These numbers are then compared to 55% of all registered voters who say the charges give them either major concerns (47%) or moderate concerns (8%).

Trump remains the GOP frontrunner, even when poised in a hypothetical match against DeSantis, with 60% of Republican voters backing the former President and DeSantis receiving only 36%. 

HOUSE GOP SEEKING TO EXPUNGE 'SHAM' TRUMP IMPEACHMENTS

However, in a hypothetical Trump-Biden battle, President Joe Biden came out on top with a near majority of the vote (49%). Trump received 45% support. However, a total of 68% of those surveyed stated Biden's mental and physical health was a major/moderate concern for them. 

On the flip side, when asked if they agree with Trump remaining the party's leader, nearly half of GOP voters said yes, with 21% saying they believed he was a good president but it was time to consider other leaders. 

Trump appeared at a Miami federal courthouse in early June in connection to the classified documents case, marking the first time a former president has faced federal criminal charges. The charges include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.

The former president slammed the federal indictment as "sham" and "election interference" by the Biden administration in a speech at his property Trump National Golf Club Bedminster after appearing in federal court, calling it "the most heinous abuse of power in the history of our country."

Trump also slammed Special Counsel Jack Smith at the time, calling him a "deranged lunatic" as well as blasting President Biden for having "his top political opponent arrested and charged."

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report. 

House GOP seeking to expunge ‘sham’ Trump impeachments

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FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are seeking to formally expunge the impeachments of former President Donald Trump, Fox News Digital has learned.

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., introduced resolutions Thursday to expunge Trump’s first impeachment from December 2019 and his second from January 2021. Those resolutions would expunge what the lawmakers are calling "unconstitutional" impeachments and make it legally as if the articles "had never passed the full House of Representatives."

"The American people know Democrats weaponized the power of impeachment against President Donald Trump to advance their own extreme political agenda," Stefanik told Fox News Digital.

Reflecting on the "sham" process, Stefanik said she "stood up against Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff’s blatant attempt to shred the Constitution as House Democrats ignored the Constitution and failed to follow the legislative process."

HUNTER BIDEN AGREES TO PLEAD GUILTY TO FEDERAL TAX CHARGES

"President Donald Trump was rightfully acquitted, and it is past time to expunge Democrats’ sham smear against not only President Trump’s name, but against millions of patriots across the country," she said.

Stefanik’s resolution focuses on Trump’s January 2021 impeachment, and says that the "facts and circumstances" of that action did not meet the burden of proving Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors, and did not establish that Trump engaged in "insurrection of rebellion against the United States."

Stefanik also highlighted the "various issues surrounding the impeachment processes" related to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, including "the omission of discussion of circumstances and unusual voting patterns leading up to the 2021 Presidential election, the lack of consideration for the vote numbers and breakdowns, the whimsical changing of the legislative process for impeachment, and much more."

The House of Representatives drafted articles of impeachment against Trump and ultimately voted to impeach him on a charge of inciting an insurrection for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

GRASSLEY: BURISMA EXECUTIVE WHO ALLEGEDLY PAID BIDEN HAS AUDIO RECORDINGS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH JOE, HUNTER

The Senate voted to acquit Trump both times he was impeached. Had Trump been convicted, the Senate would have moved to bar the 45th president from holding federal office ever again, preventing a 2024 White House run.

Greene’s resolution would expunge Trump’s first impeachment in December 2019.

In 2019, Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to launch investigations into the Biden family’s actions and business dealings in Ukraine —specifically Hunter Biden’s ventures with Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings and Joe Biden’s successful effort to have Ukraininan prosecutor Viktor Shokin ousted while serving as vice president.

Greene says the impeachment against Trump was a "sham" because information revealed in an FD-1023 FBI document indicates that the Bidens were trying to influence policy in Ukraine.

"The first impeachment of President Trump was a politically motivated sham," Greene said. "The Democrats, led by Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff, weaponized a perfect phone call with Ukraine to interfere with the 2020 election."

Trump's request was regarded by Democrats as a quid pro quo for millions in U.S. military aid to Ukraine that had been frozen. Democrats also claimed Trump was meddling in the 2020 presidential election by asking a foreign leader to look into a Democratic political opponent.

EXCLUSIVE: JOE BIDEN ALLEGEDLY PAID $5M BY BURISMA EXECUTIVE AS PART OF A BRIBERY SCHEME, ACCORDING TO FBI DOCUMENT

Trump was later impeached by the House of Representatives for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, all stemming from the phone call and the question about the Bidens' dealings. The Senate voted for acquittal in February 2020.

But Greene on Thursday pointed to the FBI's "credible evidence of Joe and Hunter Biden's corrupt dealings, confirming their involvement in a foreign bribery pay-to-play scheme and receipt of over $5 million each. All of this information was revealed to Congress by the FD-1023 form from the FBI’s most credible informant."

Greene was referring to the FBI-generated FD-1023 form. The form, dated June 30, 2020, reflects the FBI's interview with a "highly credible" confidential source who detailed multiple meetings and conversations he or she had with a top executive of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings over the course of several years, starting in 2015.

The document shows the Burisma executive explained to the confidential source that Burisma had to "pay the Bidens" because Shokin was investigating Burisma, and explained how difficult it would be to enter the U.S. market in the midst of that investigation.

Sources familiar told Fox News Digital that the confidential human source believes that the $5 million payment to Joe Biden and the $5 million payment to Hunter Biden occurred, based on his or her conversations with the Burisma executive.

TRUMP TARGETED: A LOOK AT PROBES INVOLVING THE FORMER PRESIDENT; FROM STORMY DANIELS TO RUSSIA TO MAR-A-LAGO

"The form vindicates President Trump and exposes the crimes of the Biden family," Greene said. "It's clear that President Trump's impeachment was a nothing more than a witch hunt that needs to be expunged from our history."

She added, "I'm proud to work with Chairwoman Elise Stefanik on our joint resolutions to correct the record and clear President Trump’s good name."

Democrat slammed after accidentally saying Trump ‘needs to be shot’ before quickly correcting herself

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Democrat Virgin Islands Del. Stacey Plaskett appeared to accidentally say that former President Trump "need to be shot" while discussing his classified documents investigation.

Plaskett, who represents a nonvoting U.S. territory, was criticizing Trump's handling of classified documents during a live segment on MSNBC Sunday when she made the perplexing comment.

"Having Trump not only having the codes but now having the classified information for Americans and being able to put that out and share it in his resort with anyone and everything who comes through should be terrifying to all Americans," Plaskett told MSNBC.

"He needs to be shot," she said, before quickly attempting to correct herself by adding "stopped."

TRUMP INDICTMENT TURNS 2024 ELECTION UPSIDE DOWN, BUT NOT THE WAY DEMOCRATS HOPE

The video immediately began circulating social media, with several Twitter users taking the comment seriously and calling for her removal from office.

"Imagine the outrage if a Republican said this about a Democrat," conservative communicator Steve Guest tweeted.

"Dontcha' hate when your mouth says What you are really thinking?" WorldStrat Corporation President Jim Hanson tweeted.

"This is a direct threat to President Trump and someone needs to investigate. Plaskett needs to be removed immediately," a Twitter user wrote Monday. "That’s not a slip of the tongue. She’s an adult. She should be able to handle public speaking with her position. #RemovePlaskett."

IN OR OUT? NEW POLL WHERE REPUBLICAN VOTERS STAND IN SUPPROT OF TRUMP AFTER SECOND INDICTMENT

"Quite the Freudian slip from Stacey Plaskett," another individual wrote.

Ryan Fournier, founder of Students for Trump, also posted the video and said "lock her up!"

While Plaskett claims that Trump having classified documents "should be terrifying to all Americans," recent polls indicate the former president received a boost in support among the GOP after being indicted for alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Plaskett also claimed in the interview that Trump is "going to have his day in court," after the former president pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges stemming from the classified documents probe.

"Of course, he’s going to have his day in court," the Democrat told MSNBC. "Let’s remember that he was indicted by his peers — individual Americans who live in South Florida, a red state — they saw enough that there was probable cause for him to bring this indictment for him to stand trial."

Plaskett has a history of strong opposition to Trump, serving as an impeachment manager in the case against the former president in 2021, in which House impeachment managers argued that Trump was "singularly responsible" for the January 6th Capitol riot. Despite the Democrat's efforts, Trump was acquitted after the second impeachment trial in February 2021.

Plaskett did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Adam Schiff not out of the woodshed yet: GOP will move again to condemn his ‘false accusations’

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Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said Thursday that Republicans will try again to censure Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., for making "false accusations" against former President Trump, after the House voted down a censure resolution against Schiff on Wednesday.

In that vote, 20 Republicans rejected Luna’s censure resolution, in part because it recommended a $16 million fine against Schiff for telling "lies" about collusion between former President Trump and Russia, something that several investigations were never able to prove. Luna says that number is roughly half the cost of investigating Trump, probes that were never able to show collusion.

One lawmaker, Rep. Tom Massie, R-Ky., said the inclusion of language about fining Schiff violates the Constitution. Because Massie and several other Republicans opposed that language, the House voted 225-196 to set the censure resolution aside.

But Luna, R-Fla., said Thursday that she reached an agreement with those 20 Republicans on new censure language and said the House is expected to vote on it soon.

ADAM SCHIFF DODGES BULLET: HOUSE VOTES AGAINST BILL CENSURING HIM FOR TRUMP-RUSSIA ‘LIES’

"We came to terms and negotiations and the language that will censure and refer him to an ethics investigation because of the fact that he knowingly used his position as the chairman of House Intelligence to lie to the American people, to lie to his fellow colleagues, and also too, violated the rights, the civil liberties of individuals like Carter Page," Luna told FOX Business. "So he will be held accountable.

"And it brings me joy to see that he thinks that, you know, even just yesterday, that he got off the hook with it because he was singing a different tune," she added. "And he was very uncomfortable when I saw him in the hallways of Congress to let him know that he would be censured next week."

A spokesperson for Luna also told Fox News that the congresswoman has "agreed upon language with our 20 colleagues and looks forward to holding Schiff responsible for bringing dishonor to our country and the House of Representatives."

When asked Thursday about the possibility of another censure vote, Schiff accused Republicans of helping Trump distract the public from his ongoing legal battles about holding classified documents.

THESE 20 REPUBLICANS SAVED ADAM SCHIFF FROM CENSURE OVER TRUMP-RUSSIA ‘LIES’

"This is what it takes to gratify Donald Trump," said Schiff. "She obviously wants to distract from the president's legal troubles, and you‘ve got the MAGA people like Steve Bannon who are out promoting this."

A draft of Luna’s new resolution obtained by Fox News makes no mention of a fine against Schiff and also drops language accusing him of telling "lies" about Trump-Russia collusion. Instead, the new language notes several times that Schiff made "false" statements and allegations about Trump colluding with Russia to win the 2016 election.

"For years, Representative Schiff has spread false accusations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia," it reads.

"On March 20, 2017, Representative Schiff perpetuated false allegations from the Steele Dossier accusing numerous Trump associates of colluding with Russia into the Congressional Record," it adds.

SCHIFF IMMEDIATELY STARTS FUNDRAISING OFF HOUSE GOP'S PUSH TO CENSURE HIM

"As ranking minority member and Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Representative Schiff behaved dishonestly and dishonorably on many other occasions, including by publicly, falsely denying that his staff communicated with a whistleblower to launch the first impeachment of President Trump," the draft reads.

The resolution concludes by saying Schiff is censured for "misleading the American public and for conduct unbecoming" of member of the House. It says Schiff will "present himself in the well of the House" and will be censured by a public reading of the resolution, and says the House Committee on Ethics will investigate Schiff’s "falsehoods, misrepresentations, and abuses of sensitive information."

Trump reveals his thoughts on barrage of legal charges, investigations: ‘In a sick way I sort of enjoy it’

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Former President Donald Trump on Saturday said that "in a sick way" he enjoys the legal charges and investigations brought against him because they "expose" the motivations of his political opponents.

Speaking at the North Carolina Republican Party's convention in Greensboro, Trump addressed the newly unsealed federal indictment accusing him of mishandling classified documents, as well as the various investigations targeting him since he was elected president in 2016. 

"They launched witch hunt after witch hunt, and they just try to stop our movement," said Trump. "They want to do anything they can to thwart the will of the American people. It's called election interference. That's what they're doing now. And we've never seen it on a scale like this. The other side is downright crooked."

Trump, who said Trump said he has "5,000 prosecutors" going after him, was indicted Friday on 37 federal counts, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.

TRUMP RAILS AGAINST BIDEN, 'DEEP STATE' AT FIRST SPEECH AFTER CLASSIFIED DOCS INDICTMENT: 'POLITICAL HIT JOB'

Trump also referenced the impeachment proceedings launched against him as well as the findings of Special Counsel John Durham, who last month released a final report on his investigation into the original probe concerning whether Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Durham found that there was never any information to justify opening the FBI's investigation and that the bureau and the Department of Justice "failed to uphold their mission of strict fidelity to the law."

"We beat it all off, didn't we?" Trump said. "They put our country through hell, and they knew it was a lie the entire time."

The former president then suggested that any Republican who becomes president will be the subject of similar investigations and on the receiving end of unending political attacks, arguing that anyone but him will crumble under such pressure. 

TRUMP INDICTED ON 37 FEDERAL COUNTS OUT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S INVESTIGATION INTO CLASSIFIED RECORDS 

"That person will not be able to withstand the fire," he said. "And they actually admit it. They come to me: 'How do you stand this?' And I usually look at them and say, 'In a sick way I sort of enjoy it, because it exposes them.' It exposes them for what they are. And it's also lifted the poll numbers to even higher legs."

Trump touted poll numbers showing him comfortably ahead as the front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary.

Trump also directed his ire at President Joe Biden, calling him "corrupt."

Earlier in the day, Trump delivered his first public remarks since being indicted, accusing Democrats of a "political hit job" against him and alleging a double standard in the Biden administration of justice.

Schiff says classified document indictment proves Trump had ‘maligned intent’ to break law

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Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the "stunning" detail of the Justice Department's indictment of former President Donald Trump shows Trump had "maligned intent" when he took classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House.

"The most difficult element to prove often is, what did the defendant intend?" Schiff told MSNBC host Nicole Wallace in an interview Friday. "But here Donald Trump has made so crystal clear in the conversations that are recorded, in the instructions he gives to his aides to move the boxes, in his deceitfulness with his own attorneys. It's just so graphic."

Schff, a former federal prosecutor and an impeachment manager during Trump's first impeachment trial, said it was not a difficult decision for special counsel Jack Smith to bring charges against Trump. "The evidence laid out in this indictment is so powerful that I don't think special counsel had any choice but to go forward," he said.

Trump was indicted on 37 federal counts related to the classified documents the FBI recovered from Mar-a-Lago last August, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements. 

TRUMP INDICTED ON 37 FEDERAL COUNTS OUT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S INVESTIGATION INTO CLASSIFIED RECORDS

Special Counsel Jack Smith unsealed the indictment against the former president on Friday, emphasizing the "gravity" of the crimes Trump has been charged with as a result of his investigation. 

"I invite everyone to read it in full to understand the scope and the gravity of the crimes charged," Smith said Friday as the indictment was unsealed. 

"The men and woman of the United States intelligence community and armed forces dedicate their lives to protecting our nation, and its laws that protect national defense information are critical to the safety and security of the United States, and they must be enforced," Smith said. "Violations of those laws put our country at risk."

Trump announced he had been indicted on Thursday night on Truth Social. The former president told Fox News Digital he will plead not guilty. 

SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH POINTS TO ‘GRAVITY’ OF CRIMES TRUMP IS CHARGED WITH

The indictment states that Trump kept classified documents from his time in the White House in cardboard boxes brought to Mar-a-Lago. These boxes "included information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of both the United States and foreign countries; United States nuclear programs; potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack; and plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack," according to the indictment. 

The special counsel alleges that Trump showed classified documents to individuals without a security clearance on two separate occasions in 2021. The indictment cites an audio recording of Trump showing off classified documents to several people in July 2021 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, with Trump acknowledging the materials were still "a secret." 

The indictment states that on several occasions Trump "endeavored to obstruct the FBI and grand jury investigations and conceal his continued retention of classified documents" by suggesting that his attorney "falsely represent to the FBI and grand jury" that he "did not have documents called for by the grand jury subpoena." Trump is also accused of suggesting that his attorney "hide or destroy documents called for by the grand jury subpoena" and instructing his aide, Waltine Nauta, to move boxes of documents while claiming to be cooperating with investigators. 

Nauta was indicted on six federal counts as a "co-conspirator." 

EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP SAYS INDICTMENT IS ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL’ 

Schiff said he was "stunned" that the documents included secret details of military plans and other information that would put U.S. national security at risk if leaked. 

"But I think this is the way of special counsel and a speaking indictment, letting all the American people know that this isn’t a paperwork violation," he said. "These are national secrets that present real national security risks to the country."

Schiff said the indictment shows that Trump is not above the law. 

"He should be treated like any other lawbreaker. And today, he has been," Schiff said. 

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Trump says Biden family is ‘being protected’ by the ‘corrupt’ and ‘one-sided’ justice system

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Former President Trump said President Biden and his family are "being protected" by the "corrupt" and "one-sided" justice system in the United States, while telling Fox News that he should not have been impeached—especially if officials were aware, at the time, of Hunter Biden’s "evil" laptop.

During a Fox News town hall hosted by Sean Hannity in Clive, Iowa Thursday night, Trump railed against the "witch hunts" that he’s faced throughout his political career, while illustrating a double standard between how he is handled versus Biden and his family.

TRUMP PLEDGES TO BATTLE DRUG CARTELS, COMBAT FENTANYL CRISIS IF RE-ELECTED IN 2024

"They’re being protected, and it’s a one-sided system—it is a very unfair system, but they’re being protected," Trump said.

The former president referenced then-Vice President Joe Biden’s efforts to have a Ukrainian prosecutor fired and halt an investigation into Burisma Holdings—a Ukrainian natural gas firm where Hunter Biden sat on the board.

During a call in July 2019, Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to launch investigations into the Biden family’s actions and business dealings in Ukraine—specifically Hunter Biden’s ventures with Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings, and Joe Biden’s successful efforts in having the prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, ousted.

Trump's request came after millions in U.S. military aid to Ukraine had been frozen, which Democrats cited as a quid pro quo arrangement. Democrats also claimed Trump was meddling in the 2020 presidential election by asking a foreign leader to look into a Democratic political opponent.

But Trump’s questions about Hunter Biden were not unfounded. Hunter Biden, at the time of Trump’s first impeachment, had already been under federal criminal investigation for his tax affairs, prompted by suspicious foreign transactions, for more than a year.

FLASHBACK: EX-UKRAINE PROSECUTOR SAID HE WAS TOLD TO BACK OFF PROBE OF BIDEN-LINKED FIRM, FILES SHOW

That investigation, which is ongoing and being run out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Delaware, was opened in 2018.

Fox News Digital first reported the existence of some type of federal investigation involving Hunter Biden in October 2020, ahead of the last presidential election. It became known then that the FBI had subpoenaed the laptop purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden in the course of an existing money laundering investigation.

"When you look at all of this criminality like the laptop has so much stuff on it," Trump said during the town hall Thursday. "It’s so bad. It's so evil, and yet, they don’t want to do anything."

Trump said the laptop "even affected the impeachment hoax number one." 

"If they read the laptop, and they had the laptop, it should not have proceeded, because I was right," Trump said. "It is a dual system of government."

Trump added: "You can’t have law and order in a country where you have such corruption."

The House voted to impeach Trump in December 2019 on two counts— abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate voted for acquittal in February 2020. Trump was also impeached in January 2021 on a charge of inciting an insurrection for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot—making him the first and only president to be impeached, and ultimately acquitted, twice in history.

TRUMP TARGETED: A LOOK AT PROBES INVOLVING THE FORMER PRESIDENT; FROM STORMY DANIELS TO RUSSIA TO MAR-A-LAGO

Meanwhile, Trump shifted, reflecting on the Russia investigation. 

"From the day I got in, I was under siege by people that had been in Washington for many years, put in there by different presidents," Trump said. "In most cases, people that were against me."

He added: "They spied on my campaign, they did all sorts of things. I was under investigation and under siege and so were my people." 

Trump said that if he "wasn’t tough," he "wouldn’t be here right now." 

"I guarantee that if I didn’t fight back, I wouldn’t be here," Trump said. "What they did was so bad, and they’ve been caught now." 

Trump was referring to Special Counsel John Durham’s final report, which Fox News Digital first reported last month. Durham, after years of investigating, found that the Department of Justice and FBI "failed to uphold their mission of strict fidelity to the law" when it launched the Trump-Russia investigation.

TRUMP SAYS THERE 'MUST BE A HEAVY PRICE TO PAY' FOR COMEY, DEMOCRATS AFTER RELEASE OF DURHAM REPORT

Durham was appointed by former Attorney General Bill Barr to investigate the origins of the FBI's original Russia investigation, known as "Crossfire Hurricane." That investigation looked into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Durham also found that the FBI relied significantly on "investigative leads provided or funded (directly or indirectly) by Trump's political opponents." 

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"So far, nothing’s happened to them of consequence," Trump said. 

Durham is expected to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on his investigation's findings later this month. 

Nadler claims of Trump-campaign Russia collusion contradicted by Durham report

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Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., once said it was "very clear" the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians in the 2016 election — a claim later contradicted by the release of Special Counsel John Durham's report on the Russia investigation.

"It’s become very clear that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians in trying to subvert the election," Nadler told CNN in November 2018. "The president is right to be nervous right now, because it appears that time is running out when he can hold himself above the law."

DURHAM REPORT CONTRADICTS 'GUARANTEE' FROM MAXINE WATERS THAT TRUMP COLLUDED WITH RUSSIA

The comments now conflict with the Durham report, which concluded in May that federal agencies had no "actual evidence of collusion" to justify its launch of the Trump-Russia investigation. This added to the conclusion of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report in 2019 that determined there was no evidence of a criminal plot to influence the 2016 election. 

Nadler, in the 2018 interview, said evidence would soon surface to prove Trump's personal involvement in collusion with Russia.

"The walls are tightening about his knowledge of the collusion with the Russians," Nadler said. 

ADAM SCHIFF, WHO REPEATEDLY CLAIMED EVIDENCE OF RUSSIAN COLLUSION, DENOUNCES DURHAM REPORT AS 'FLAWED'

This evidence never arose, but Nadler later said in a January 2020 interview with CBS that Trump attempted to rig the 2020 election just "as he worked with the Russians to try to rig the 2016 election." The comments came amid the impeachment push over Trump's call with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky to investigate then-candidate Joe Biden.

"The reason he did that was in order to extort a foreign government to smear his political opponents for his personal benefits and to help try to rig the 2020 election as he worked with the Russians to try to rig the 2016 election," Nadler said. "Same pattern."

DURHAM FINDS DOJ, FBI 'FAILED TO UPHOLD' MISSION OF 'STRICT FIDELITY TO THE LAW' IN TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE

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The Durham report concluded the Trump-Russia investigation was based upon "raw, unanalyzed and uncorroborated intelligence." The launch of the investigation despite the lack of evidence, the report said, showed the Department of Justice and FBI "failed to uphold their mission of strict fidelity to the law." The report also concluded the agencies relied heavily upon leads for information "provided or funded (directly or indirectly) by Trump's political opponents."

Durham report contradicts ‘guarantee’ from Maxine Waters that Trump colluded with Russia

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Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., once said she guaranteed that President Donald Trump colluded with Russia to win the White House in 2016 – a claim contradicted by this week's release of Special Counsel John Durham's report on the Trump investigation.

"Here you have a president who I can tell you, I guarantee you, is in collusion with the Russians to undermine our democracy," Waters said in September 2017.

ADAM SCHIFF, WHO REPEATEDLY CLAIMED EVIDENCE OF RUSSIAN COLLUSION, DENOUNCES DURHAM REPORT AS 'FLAWED'

The Durham probe, released nearly six years after that comment, determined that the investigation into the Trump campaign's connection with Russia was premised on "raw, unanalyzed and uncorroborated intelligence." The investigation, the report concluded, had no "actual evidence of collusion" to justify its launch, and the actions from the Department of Justice and FBI "failed to uphold their mission of strict fidelity to the law."

Waters emerged as an early proponent of the Russia collusion theory. She introduced legislation to investigate Trump over collusion claims less than a month after his inauguration. She later called for his impeachment.

"I will fight every day until he is impeached," Waters said in April 2017. "Impeach 45."

DURHAM FINDS DOJ, FBI 'FAILED TO UPHOLD' MISSION OF 'STRICT FIDELITY TO THE LAW' IN TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE

The Durham probe concluded the core problem with the launch of the Russia collusion investigation, which was titled "Crossfire Hurricane," was that it relied on information from sources openly opposed to Trump's presidency.

"In particular, there was significant reliance on investigative leads provided or funded (directly or indirectly) by Trump's political opponents," the report stated. "The Department did not adequately examine or question these materials and the motivations of those providing them, even when at about the same time the Director of the FBI and others learned of significant and potentially contrary intelligence."

JEAN PIERRE ENDS BRIEFING AFTER BEING PRESSED ON DURHAM REPORT

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Special Counsel Robert Mueller released his investigation into Trump-Russia collusion in April 2019, concluding there was no evidence of criminal conspiracy to influence the 2016 election.

Waters' office did not respond to a request for comment.