Trump on Protests, Leaks: Blame Obama

Claims Obama's 'people' behind town hall protesters in Fox interview, says 'that's politics'
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 28, 2017 7:51 AM CST
Trump on Protests, Leaks: Blame Obama
President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.   (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Trump has taken his claim that "liberal activists" are behind protests against Republicans at town hall meetings to a new level, telling Fox and Friends that his predecessor is really the one to blame. "I think that President Obama is behind it," Trump says in a clip of an interview shared Monday; the full interview is airing Tuesday. "His people are certainly behind it and some of the leaks possibly come from that group," Trump adds. It's believed he's referring to leaks about his phone conversations with Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto earlier this month, which Trump previously blamed on "Obama people," reports USA Today.

Asked if he thought Obama had broken an "unsaid presidents' code," Trump simply replied, "that's politics. And it will probably continue," per CNN. Trump's comments elaborated on a tweet last week in which he said "liberal activists" had planted "so-called angry crowds." That tweet followed a Fox News report that nonprofit Organizing for Action—formed to promote Obama's agenda while in office—was planning the protests. However, Trump and other Republicans have for some time argued Democrats are paying people to protest at town halls. Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah, who was booed at a town hall earlier this month, says attendees were paid "to bully and intimidate" him. (More Donald Trump stories.)

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