Donald Trump claimed vindication on Thursday, stating that Michael Cohen’s testimony to the House Oversight Committee exonerated him of collusion with Russia. Asked about Cohen’s testimony during a press conference after his North Korea talks collapsed, Trump said: “He lied a lot, but it was very interesting because he didn’t lie about one thing, he said no collusion with the Russian hoax… I was actually impressed that he didn’t say, ‘Well, I think there was collusion for this reason or that.’ He didn’t say that. He said no collusion, and I was a little impressed by that, frankly… The most important question up there was the one on collusion, and he said he saw no collusion.”
In fact, Cohen said in his prepared statement: “Questions have been raised about whether I know of direct evidence that Mr. Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia. I do not. I want to be clear. But, I have my suspicions.” Cohen then related an incident in June 2016 when Don Jr. told his father, “The meeting is all set,” and Trump replied, “OK good… let me know.” Cohen said he had since “concluded that Don Jr. was referring to that June 2016 Trump Tower meeting about dirt on Hillary with the Russian representative.”
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