Donald Trump Jr. defends father in tweet storm during Comey testimony

President Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., took to Twitter Thursday morning during fired FBI Director James Comey’s testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee to defend his father’s administration.

Trump insisted there was no coercion during his father’s meeting with Comey in which he reportedly asked Comey to drop his investigation of Michael Flynn.

{mosads}

“Flynn stuff is BS in context,” Trump Jr. tweeted. “I hear ‘I hope nothing happens but you have to do your job’.”

Trump Jr. was referring to his father allegedly telling Comey “I hope you can let this go,” referring to the FBI’s investigation of Flynn. Democrats have seized on this line as evidence that Trump was seeking to shut down the FBI investigation, while Trump’s defenders have said that he wasn’t ordering Comey to do anything, merely stating his “hope.”

Trump Jr. called the line “very far from any kind of coercion or influence and certainly not obstruction!” on Twitter.

1/3 Flynn stuff is BS in context 2 guys talking about a guy they both know well. I hear “I hope nothing happens but you have to do your job”

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 8, 2017

2/3 very far from any kind of coercion or influence and certainly not obstruction!

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 8, 2017

3/3 Knowing my father for 39 years when he “orders or tells” you to do something there is no ambiguity, you will know exactly what he means

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 8, 2017

In later tweets, Trump Jr. mocked Comey, quoting him during the hearing saying “I could be wrong” and comments about how he would have conducted himself differently during the meeting with Trump if he was a “stronger guy.” Comey expressed regret that he did not make it clearer to the president that some of their conversations were inappropriate.

So if he was a “Stronger guy” he might have actually followed procedure & the law? You were the director of the FBI, who are you kidding?

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 8, 2017

Comey “I could be wrong”

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 8, 2017

Referencing his earlier comments about Trump “hoping” the Flynn investigation would go away, Trump Jr. tweeted, “Hoping and telling are two very different things.”

Hoping and telling are two very different things, you would think that a guy like Comey would know that. #givemeabreak

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 8, 2017

Trump Jr. also retweeted several messages from former diplomat Richard Grennell.

Comey just destroyed anonymous sources in the NYT and Washington Post. This won’t be reported.

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) June 8, 2017

Reporters were expecting President Trump to tweet during the former FBI director’s testimony, but the elder Trump’s account remained silent during the hearing.