Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Thursday accused former FBI Director James Comey on Newsmax of being a central figure in the "deep state" effort to undermine President Donald Trump, citing Comey's actions during Trump's first term and a recent social media post.
On "Greg Kelly Reports," Cruz criticized Comey's conduct during his tenure and in recent events.
"James Comey was a bad head of the FBI," Cruz said. "He wanted to be J. Edgar Hoover. When Donald Trump came in, he waged war against President Trump from the very first day."
Cruz referenced his book, "Justice Corrupted: How the Left Weaponized Our Legal System," to support his claims.
"James Comey was Exhibit A of the deep state, actively trying to undermine the president, to overthrow the president. They were angry at the American people for electing him," he said.
The senator also reflected on Trump's decision not to dismiss Comey immediately upon taking office.
"I think the president would tell you it was a mistake that he did not fire James Comey on Jan. 20, 2017," Cruz remarked. "I think history would have been very different if Comey had been relieved of duty the very first day of the Trump presidency."
Cruz's comments come amid controversy surrounding a now-deleted Instagram post by Comey. The post featured seashells arranged to form the number "8647," which some interpreted as a veiled threat against Trump, the 47th president. The number "86" is slang for "eliminate," leading to interpretations that the post suggested harm toward Trump.
Addressing the post, Cruz said: "We'll have to examine the full details in the context in which it was given. But there's no doubt that much of the deep state, including James Comey, hated Donald Trump, and they acted to undermine him."
He further criticized the rhetoric from the left, linking it to threats against Trump.
"The extreme rhetoric we see from the left contributes to this atmosphere of violence," Cruz said, referencing two assassination attempts against Trump, including a shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Praising Trump's resilience, Cruz recounted, "I've never seen a moment of heroism quite like when the president, after being shot, comes up and has his fist in the air and saying, 'Fight, fight, fight.'"
Cruz also described symbolic images near the Oval Office: "The picture right outside the door of the Oval Office is the president's mug shot. ... And then right outside that is a painting of him standing with his fist in the air, and it's got lots of blood going down his face. Those two combinations ... tell a story."
The Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security are investigating Comey's Instagram post. Comey has denied any malicious intent, stating he was unaware of the connotation and opposes violence.
The flap has reignited tensions between Trump allies and Comey, whom Trump dismissed in May 2017 amid an investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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