“They broke into the offices of one of my personal attorneys … an attack on our country and what we all stand for”

Donald Trump (April 10, 2018)

 

President Trump’s explosive tirade over recent FBI raids on Michael Cohen’s office, home and hotel suite should come as no surprise.   Again, Trump has demonstrated his lack of understanding of the facts surrounding the legal judicial steps preceding the search of attorney Cohen’s properties.

The FBI did not “break in” to Cohen’s properties.  Rather the raid fully complied with the very strict Justice Departments guidelines for searching an attorney’s offices.  Further, it was not authorized or directed by Special Counsel Mueller’s office.  Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who sought a search warrant from a federal magistrate judge who found probable cause to believe that the locations subject to the raid contained specific evidence of a federal crime and signed off on the warrant.

As such, it was not “an attack on our country and what we stand for.”

Cohen subsequently remarked although he was, “unhappy to have my personal residence and office raided … members of the FBI that conducted the search and seizure were all extremely professional, courteous and respectful.  And I thanked them at the conclusion.”

Still Trump blamed “Democrats and a couple of Republicans that worked for President Obama”; another example of every time any investigation or criticism begins to focus on the president and/or his inner circle, he strikes out with childish name calling; calls to investigate Hillary; blaming Democrats and his predecessors; and displays  frustrations with the constitution and its system of checks-and-balances.

More concerning is Trump’s tendency to he let such emotions carry over into far more consequential issues facing the country.  Many of the president’s comments on the Cohen raid came during a critical meeting with his national security team who were evaluating American responses to the chemical attacks by Syria’s Assad on his own people.

Soon thereafter, the president’s bellicose tweets began telegraphing potential military actions; something he lambasted President Obama for doing!

After publicly threatening to make Syria pay a heavy price, the Russians advised the White House they were prepared to shoot down any incoming missiles and possibly strike the sources of those missiles.

Not to be outdone, Trump tweeted, “Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria.  Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!”

Clearly, an unprovoked attack on any sovereign nation, however despicable their leadership’s policies might be, is an act of war!  Such actions are even more dangerous in Syria where they could bring U.S. and Russian military forces into an armed conflict.

Neither the Constitution nor the questionable War Powers Act provide any president the authority to unilaterally go to war absent a direct attack on the U.S. or its armed forces.  Tragically for our nation, however, it is unlikely the president will ask Congress for such a declaration or for Congress to insist he take such action.

Even with the potential a miscalculation in the Middle East  could spiral out of control and foreshadow consequences akin to those spawned in Sarajevo in 1914, Trump’s twitter finger was focused on taking a parting and unsubstantiated shot at his self-perceived domestic critics blaming, “Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation, headed up by the all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for Obama.  Mueller is most conflicted of all (except Rosenstein who signed FISA & Comey letter).  No Collusion, so they go crazy! “

An insecure, frequently uninformed and impulsive president is continuing to be clear and present danger to America and our democracy!