Trump Denies He Wanted DOJ to Go After SNL, Ends Statement With Cryptic ’2024 or Before’ Message
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump put out a statement on Tuesday night denying that he wanted the Department of Justice to go after Saturday Night Live. The statement also included a cryptic (or trolling) message that seemingly alluded to an insane theory going around about the 2020 election.
The Daily Beast reported Tuesday morning that Trump “asked advisers and lawyers in early 2019 about what the Federal Communications Commission, the court system, and—most confusingly to some Trump lieutenants—the Department of Justice could do to probe or mitigate SNL, Jimmy Kimmel, and other late-night comedy mischief-makers.”
Trump publicly went after SNL several times during his presidency and even said in late 2018, “It is all nothing less than unfair news coverage and Dem commercials. Should be tested in courts, can’t be legal? Only defame & belittle! Collusion?”
In a new statement Tuesday night, Trump calls the Daily Beast report “total Fake News.”
“It was fabricated, there were no sources, and yet the Lamestream Media goes with it,” Trump says. I did say, however, that Alec Baldwin has no talent, certainly when it comes to imitating me. The one who had what it took was Darrell Hammond.”
The statement also contains a rather baffling “2024 or before!”
Trump releases a statement denying he asked his DOJ to go after SNL. He then concludes the statement with "2024 or before!" — a nod toward the idea he could be reinstated (He cannot be reinstated) pic.twitter.com/C9NAytESCO
— Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) June 22, 2021
Recent reports have said Trump is telling people he will be reinstated in August (which again, to be clear, is not a thing that would actually happen).
