Trump Attacks Whistleblower Sources, Suggests Complaint Is Treason: Reports

President Donald Trump on Thursday attacked anyone involved in the whistleblower complaint regarding his dealings with Ukraine as almost a spy and suggested their actions to expose his alleged impropriety were treason, reported The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times .

The president made the remark as acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire testified before the House Intelligence Committee about the complaint, which prompted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday to announce the opening of an impeachment inquiry into Trump.

The whistleblower, an unnamed U.S. intelligence officer, alleges several White House officials accused Trump of pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a July phone call to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Biden is a front-runner in the Democratic race to challenge Trumps reelection in 2020. The White House then attempted to cover up the exchange, according to the complaint.

The Los Angeles Times posted audio of Trumps spy remarks he reportedly made in front of a crowd of staff from the United States Mission to the United Nations in New York City.

Basically, that person never saw the report, never saw the call, and he never saw the call heard something and decided that he or she or whoever the hell it is theyre almost a spy, Trump said.

Whos the person who gave the whistleblower the information? Because thats close to a spy, the president continued. You know what we used to do in the old days when we were smart with spies and treason, right? We used to handle it a little differently than we do now.

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