Trump flat-out lies about admitting that he fired Comey over Russia

A year ago, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey because of his investigation into Russia.

We know this because despite days of White House spin that the firing had nothing to do with the Russia investigation, Trump himself told the world.

And yet a year after his admission to NBC’s Lester Holt, he is lashing out at the media for reporting on his words.

“Not that it matters but I never fired James Comey because of Russia! The Corrupt Mainstream Media loves to keep pushing that narrative, but they know it is not true!” he tweeted Thursday morning, as part of a multi-tweet rant of unhinged gibberish and anger.

Of course, it does matter that Trump fired Comey because of Russia. It matters a great deal, and is part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible obstruction of justice.

But it’s also another in a series of literally thousands of lies from Trump since he took office. Because it was Trump himself who explained in May 2017 that he had made up his mind to fire Comey, regardless of the recommendation of his own Justice Department. And it was Trump himself who said it was about Russia.

“I was going to fire Comey,” he said in that infamous interview he is now trying to deny ever happened. “And in fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, it’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election.'”

The media didn’t do this to him. He did this to himself. And he admitted it on TV. His shameless attempts to interfere with and obstruct the investigations into his campaign and his presidency have thus far failed.

The investigation has already garnered 19 indictments and 5 guilty pleas, and for all of the meaningless wishes and demands expressed by Trump’s supporters, there is no sign that Mueller is wrapping up his investigation any time soon.

So now Trump is lying about one of the biggest headaches he made for himself and trying to blame the media for it. But it’s another lie, easily proven false. It won’t make the headache go away; it only reveals how increasingly desperate he is.