Laurence Kesterson/AP
Washington CNN —
Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, falsely claimed Sunday that former President Donald Trump “didn’t go after his political opponents” during his presidency – an assertion that is contradicted by a mountain of evidence.
Vance, who said Friday that the attorney general would be the most important government official other than the president in a second Trump administration, was asked by ABC News host Martha Raddatz in an interview on Sunday if Trump would go after his political opponents. Vance said no, then added, “Martha, he was president for four years and he didn’t go after his political opponents.”
Facts First: Vance’s claim is false. As president, Trump publicly and privately pressured the Justice Department, and others in his administration, to investigate or prosecute numerous political opponents.
Trump made extensive behind-the-scenes efforts to get his political opponents charged with crimes. But you don’t have to rely on investigative reporting or the memoirs of former administration officials to know that Trump went after political opponents as president.
He often went after them in public, too.
As CNN reporter Marshall Cohen has noted, there is a long list of political opponents whom Trump publicly called for the Justice Department and others to investigate or prosecute. The list includes not only 2016 election opponent Hillary Clinton and 2020 election opponent Joe Biden but also Biden’s son Hunter...
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