The following article by Niall Stanage was posted on the Hill website August 18, 2018:
President Trump has had a wild week during the normally sleepy height of summer, lashing out against former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, stripping former CIA Director John Brennan of his security clearance and getting into a spat with Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) as he canceled his proposed military parade in the city.
Trump also weighed in Friday on Paul Manafort’s trial before departing from the White House for the weekend, telling reporters that his former campaign chairman was “a very good person” and that it was “very sad what they’ve done” to him.
The remarks quickly led to criticism on cable television and social media, where observers said it was inappropriate at best for the president to make comments on a trial as the jury, instructed to avoid news coverage, deliberated on a verdict.