Neil Cavuto, a Fox News host, criticized the president on Thursday for the contradictory statements about a payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. He said that Trump’s habit of making inaccurate statements is his “swamp.”
“Let me be clear, Mr. President. How can you drain the swamp if you’re the one that keeps muddying the waters? You didn’t know about the $130,000 payment to a porn star until you did,” Cavuto said.
“You said you knew nothing about your lawyer Michael Cohen handling this, until acknowledging today you were the guy behind the retainer payment that took care of this,” he continued. “You insist that money from the campaign or campaign contributions played no role in this transaction. Of that you’re sure. The thing is, not 24 hours ago, sir, you couldn’t recall any of this. And you seemed very sure.”
“I’m not saying you’re a liar,” Cavuto added. “You’re a president, you’re busy. I’m having a devil of a time figuring out which news is fake. Let’s just say that your own words on lots of stuff gave me lots of pause.”
Cavuto then rehearsed a laundry list of claims that the president has made that have later been proven to be inaccurate, unsubstantiated or just false. He noted Trump’s claims that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 elections, that the new Republican tax law would cost him a “fortune” and that he signed more bills at that point in his presidency than any of his predecessors.
“None of this makes what you say fake. Just calling out the press for being so, a bit of a stretch,” Cavuto said.
“But more oftentimes they’re using your own words to bash you. Your base probably might not care. But you should,” he continued. “I guess you’re too busy draining the swamp to ever stop and smell the stink you’re creating. That’s your doing. That’s your stink, Mr. President, that’s your swamp.”
Cavuto’s critic came one day after Rudy Giuliani, a new member of Trump’s personal legal team, revealed on Fox News that Trump had reimbursed his personal attorney Michael Cohen for a payment to Daniels. Trump previously denied knowing about the payment.
The president offered this explanation for the payment in a series of tweets early Thursday, saying that Cohen was reimbursed for the payment through a retainer.
Mr. Cohen, an attorney, received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered into, through reimbursement, a private contract between two parties, known as a non-disclosure agreement, or NDA. These agreements are…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018
…very common among celebrities and people of wealth. In this case it is in full force and effect and will be used in Arbitration for damages against Ms. Clifford (Daniels). The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair,……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018
…despite already having signed a detailed letter admitting that there was no affair. Prior to its violation by Ms. Clifford and her attorney, this was a private agreement. Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll in this transaction.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018
Watch the clip of Cavuto below, let us know what you think about his commentary on the swamp of Trump’s own making.
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