Amid an intensifying furor over his administration's ties to Russia, President Donald Trump responded Wednesday morning with a flurry of tweets aimed at discrediting his critics.
The White House faced fresh headlines stemming from the complex web of communications between Trump, his staff and Russian officials. Michael Flynn resigned Monday as national security advisor following revelations that he had discussed U.S.-imposed sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador to the United States and had misled Vice President Mike Pence and others about the discussion.
In the wake of the scandal, various news organizations have probed the Trump team's connections with Russia. The New York Times, for instance, reported Wednesday that multiple members of the president's campaign team had contact with Russian intelligence officials during his successful race against Democrat Hillary Clinton.
For the president, though, it was all part of a media hit-job trying to probe a Russia connection that doesn't exist.
He also charged that the way the Flynn information was obtained violated the law.
The incentive, he alleged, was political payback for his stunning election upset.
He went after other news organizations as well, using what has become a familiar accusation that those opposed to him are "failing."
And he also looked to deflect attention from his administration's stance on Russia to what happened under his predecessor.
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The president already has questioned the sourcing of media reports, particularly concerning Flynn. The Washington Post broke the story using leaked intercepts of Flynn's conversations.
However, the controversy likely will continue. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has said Flynn's resignation is only the beginning of a probe into Trump's Russian ties.