Trump misquoted Fox News anchor to attack Dem memo

President Trump misquoted a Fox News anchor on Saturday in a tweet attacking Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) over the release of the Democratic memo rebutting Republican claims of surveillance abuses by the Justice Department.

In a tweet Saturday night, Trump misquoted “Fox Report” anchor Molly Line, who discussed the memo on the show.

“Congressman Schiff omitted and distorted key facts” @FoxNews So, what else is new. He is a total phony!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2018

The quote from Line, however, was “Congressman Adam Schiff, he argued the Republican memo omitted and distorted key facts meant to mislead the public. This Democratic memo was meant to be the rebuttal and was meant to show what was left out.” 

CNN media reporter Brian Stelter first pointed out the misquote on Twitter, suggesting that either Trump didn’t understand what he heard on Fox News or intentionally misquoted the anchor.

Holy moly. The @FoxNews anchor said “Congressman Schiff, he ARGUES the REPUBLICAN memo omitted and distorted key facts.” Trump just deleted 5 words from the quote to allege the opposite meaning. https://t.co/UlSQUcc0bD

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 24, 2018

Trump MISquoted two different @FoxNews reports tonight. Either he truly misunderstood what he heard on TV, which is worrisome, or he purposefully misquoted it, which is also worrisome.

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 24, 2018

The White House and Democrats battled Saturday night over the House Intelligence Committee’s release of the Democrats’ rebuttal to Republican claims about government surveillance of the Trump campaign. White House officials argue the memo failed to address key issues with the investigation, while Democrats believe the memo is reason for Republicans to end their attacks on the special counsel’s office and the FBI.

{mosads}

Schiff tweeted to Trump Saturday night that his memo “confirms the FBI acted appropriately and that Russian agents approached two of your advisors, and informed your campaign that Russia was prepared to help you by disseminating stolen Clinton emails.”

Wrong again, Mr. President. It confirms the FBI acted appropriately and that Russian agents approached two of your advisors, and informed your campaign that Russia was prepared to help you by disseminating stolen Clinton emails. https://t.co/G128SNicdn

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 24, 2018

Republicans on the committee, meanwhile, dismissed Schiff’s memo as an attempt to excuse what they called interference by the Justice Department in the 2016 election.

“What you basically will read in the Democratic memo is they are advocating that it is OK for the FBI and [Justice Department] to use political dirt paid for by one campaign and use it against the other campaign,” Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said at the Conservative Political Action Conference.