Trump: 'This was an illegal takedown that failed'

President Donald Trump‘s first reaction to Special Counsel Robert Mueller‘s findings, which were revealed in a summary on Sunday by the attorney general, came via tweet. Moments later, he spoke to cable news outlets from tarmac in Palm Beach, Florida.

“It began illegally,” Trump said of the investigation. “And hopefully somebody is going to look at the other side, this was an illegal takedown that failed. And hopefully somebody is going to be looking at the other side. So it’s a complete exoneration, no collusion, no obstruction, thank you very much.”

According to Attorney General William Barr, Mueller did not find evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, but did not exonerate the president on obstruction of justice, leaving that up to the attorney general. Barr, in his letter, said the he and deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein did not find enough evidence to pursue obstruction charges.