President Trump Used the State of the Union to Call for an End to Investigations. So Did Nixon
President Donald Trump called for the investigations against him to be brought to an end during his State of the Union speech on Tuesday. Though the President did not mention Robert Mueller by name, even as the special counsel’s probe into Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election continues, Trump singled out “ridiculous” and “partisan” investigations, and warned that they could harm the economic “resurgence.”
“An economic miracle is taking place in the United States — and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics or ridiculous partisan investigations,” Trump said, per his prepared remarks. “If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn’t work that way! We must be united at home to defeat our adversaries abroad.”
Trump was not the first president to call for the end of the investigations during his State of the Union. In 1974, Nixon told Congress, “I believe the time has come to bring that investigation and the other investigations of this matter to an end. One year of Watergate is enough!”