CNN ‘This Morning’ Host Erica Hill on Monday said she was surprised by the White House’s evolving opinion on the question of presidential immunity.
President Donald Trump accused former president Barack Obama of treason this week, springboarding from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s claim that Obama "manufactured" Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Trump delivered his accusation after reporters requested updates on Trump’s refusal to release the entire file on convicted sex trafficker and former Trump friend Jeffrey Epstein. Now the White House is highly focused on an investigation into a former president, which Hill says runs contrary to Trump’s earlier take on presidential investigations.
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“I was struck by the response when [White House Press Secretary] Karoline Leavitt was asked about [presidential immunity],” Hill reported before playing Leavitt’s clip from a Wednesday press event.
“[Trump] wants to see all those who perpetuated this fraud against our country, who betrayed our country and the Constitution to be thoroughly investigated and held accountable,” Leavitt told reporters.
“[Trump] ‘wants [Obama] to be held accountable,'” Hill repeated. “So, I just want to follow that up to with what we have heard from President Trump over the years about presidential immunity."
READ MORE: 'Deal with it': Top Senate Republican gives Mike Johnson an ultimatum over Epstein scandal
“Presidential immunity is imperative, or you practically won't have a country anymore,” Trump said in one clip.
“If a president doesn't have full immunity, you really don't have a president,” he claimed in another.
“I feel that as a president, you have to have immunity. Very simple," he argued.
“I'm entitled to immunity. Every president has immunity,” Trump insisted in yet another.
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