President TrumpDonald John TrumpState Department inspector general fired House passes massive T coronavirus relief package Analysis: Most states fall short of recommended coronavirus testing levels as some reopen MORE on Saturday lashed out on the Obama administration’s early dealing with of the Russia investigation, mocked the information media and flatly dismissed his presumptive Democratic rival Joe BidenJoe BidenCalifornia AG Becerra: Criticism of Biden Latino outreach is ‘hogwash’ Hickenlooper endorses Biden for president The Hill’s Campaign Report: More Republican women are running for House seats MORE in an hours-long tweetstorm.

Trump, who’s at Camp David for the weekend, spent a lot of the primary half of Saturday sharing numerous articles and tweets aimed toward buttressing his allegations towards Obama-era officers and poking at numerous perceived critics.

The president’s tweets come as his administration faces growing scrutiny over its lack of a nationwide plan to deal with the coronavirus pandemic whereas some states start to open. The social media storm additionally comes amid fresh backlash over his transfer Friday to oust a high authorities watchdog.

A number of of Trump’s tweets Saturday centered on his former nationwide safety adviser Michael Flynn, whom the president has vociferously defended after the Justice Division lately moved to drop its case towards him. Flynn, who pleaded responsible to mendacity to the FBI about his contact with a Russian official earlier than Trump took workplace, has since sought to withdraw his plea.

Trump retweeted a number of articles from Judicial Watch, a conservative nonprofit activist group, with one tweet claiming that “the concentrating on of Gen. Flynn was a key a part of the Obama/Clinton/Deep State coup towards @realDonaldTrump.”

.@TomFitton made the next assertion on the choice by the DOJ to drop its case towards Gen. #MichaelFlynn: “The concentrating on of Gen. Flynn was a key a part of the Obama/Clinton/Deep State coup towards @realDonaldTrump.”
Learn: https://t.co/1ppPZ2PHfP#ObamaGate オバマ

— Judicial Watch (@JudicialWatch) May 16, 2020

The president additionally circled back to a viral video of New York Metropolis residents confronting an area TV reporter in Lengthy Island who was masking their protest of stay-at-home orders this week. Trump shared video of the incident late Friday, writing, “FAKE NEWS IS NOT ESSENTIAL!” earlier than retweeting it on Saturday and praising the protesters as “nice individuals!”

Individuals can’t get sufficient of this. Nice individuals! https://t.co/b4HM0C298h

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2020

Trump ultimately turned his consideration to Biden, his presumptive Democratic opponent in November’s normal election. He claimed that the previous vp, whom he referred to by the derisive nickname “Sleepy Joe,” was “not even an element” and asserted he’s really operating towards the “Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats” and the “Pretend Information Media.”

I’m not operating towards Sleepy Joe Biden. He isn’t even an element. By no means was, keep in mind 1% Joe? I’m operating towards the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats & their accomplice, the actual opposition celebration, the Lamestream Pretend Information Media! They’re vicious & loopy, however we’ll WIN! https://t.co/ltdHSmaMYT

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2020

That jab adopted a marketing campaign replace from Biden’s staff on Friday during which aides sounded a confident note concerning the former vp’s prospects in November, saying he might safe upward of 318 electoral votes — greater than the 270 wanted to win the White Home.

Trump on Saturday additionally shared a collection of tweets from conservative media figures specializing in “Obamagate,” a time period the president has used whereas airing grievances over the FBI’s investigation into his marketing campaign’s contacts with Russia in 2016.

The president has repeatedly lashed out at his predecessor over the previous week after former President Obama stated that Lawyer Normal William BarrWilliam Pelham BarrHillicon Valley: Commerce announces new Huawei restrictions | Russian meddling report round five | Google’s ad business in spotlight Justice Department signals opposition to Senate’s surveillance bill Dershowitz: Spread the justice in Flynn case but restrain the judge MORE was threatening the rule of the legislation by dropping the Division of Justice’s case towards Flynn. Flynn was charged with mendacity to the FBI about contacts the previous nationwide safety adviser had with a Russian official.

After Trump tweeted “OBAMAGATE” earlier within the week, Obama tweeted a simple apparent rebuke: “Vote.”

The president has pushed the narrative that Obama tried to undermine Trump’s incoming presidency by going after Flynn. Trump often refers back to the Flynn case — a key a part of the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s interference within the 2016 election — as a “Russian hoax.”

Later, Trump shared a tweet directed at Senate Majority Chief Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHouse passes massive T coronavirus relief package On The Money: Hopes fade for coronavirus relief deal this month | Burr problem grows for GOP | Layoffs hit record high of 11 million in March Hillicon Valley: Commerce announces new Huawei restrictions | Russian meddling report round five | Google’s ad business in spotlight MORE (R-Ky.) that centered on the Russia probe and acknowledged that the GOP chief ought to be “addressing the hoax and holding the hoaxers accountable.” Trump urged McConnell to “get powerful and transfer rapidly.”

Mitch, I really like you, however that is 100% true. Time is operating out. Get powerful and transfer rapidly, or it is going to be too late. The Dems are vicious, however bought caught. They MUST pay an enormous worth for what they’ve completed to our Nation. Don’t allow them to get away with this! @LindseyGrahamSC https://t.co/PplfqTJdHc

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2020

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamHopes fade for coronavirus relief deal before June Jim Jordan requests documents from Pompeo regarding Hunter Biden, Burisma  Graham rebuffs Trump over Obama testimony: ‘It would be a bad precedent’ MORE (R-S.C.) stated this week that his panel would start holding hearings in June concerning “all issues associated to Crossfire Hurricane,” the identify for the investigation into Russia’s interference within the 2016 election and the Trump marketing campaign.

Graham, nevertheless, pushed again on the notion of calling on Obama to testify, one thing Trump demanded in a tweet earlier within the week.

“I feel it will be a nasty precedent to compel a former president to return earlier than the Congress. That might open up a can of worms, and for quite a lot of causes, I do not suppose that is a good suggestion,” Graham instructed reporters on Capitol Hill on Thursday.

Biden in a tweet on Saturday afternoon sought to place the main focus again on Trump’s choice the day prior to this to oust the State Division’s inspector normal, Steve Linick, a transfer that has provoked strong criticism from Democrats who see it as a part of a “harmful sample of retaliation” towards authorities watchdogs.

“It appears the best way to get fired by President Trump is to not commit wrongdoing, however to research it,” Biden wrote.

Trump traveled to Camp David on Friday night after asserting new members of the White Home coronavirus process drive and unveiling a team to guide a federal public-private effort to speed up manufacturing of a vaccine to fight the coronavirus.

The White Home in current days has sought to solid itself as accountable for the pandemic response, with Trump touring to a distribution heart to tout the supply of medical protecting gear and the White Home press secretary detailing that the administration has its personal pandemic preparedness plan.

Nonetheless, experts say a national testing strategy will be key to forestall future outbreaks and permit totally different components of the nation to securely reopen, after the president urged this week that widespread testing could also be “overrated” and inspired states to reopen companies.

Trump tweeted Saturday, “We’ve completed a GREAT job on Covid response, making all Governors look good, some unbelievable (and that’s OK), however the Lamestream Media doesn’t wish to go together with that narrative, and the Do Nothing Dems speaking level is to say solely dangerous about ‘Trump’. I made all people look good, however me!”