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Donald Trump defends Barack Obama, slams Chelsea Manning as ‘ungrateful traitor’

US President Donald Trump has slammed whistleblower Chelsea Manning as an “ungrateful traitor” for criticising Barack Obama.

Manning, whose 35-year sentence for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks was commuted by Barack Obama as one of his last acts as president, now has a column in The Guardian.

US Army Private First Class Bradley Manning, now Chelsea Manning, leaving a military court facility after hearing his verdict in the trial in July 2013. Picture: AFP
US Army Private First Class Bradley Manning, now Chelsea Manning, leaving a military court facility after hearing his verdict in the trial in July 2013. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

 

 
Chelsea Manning. Picture: AP
Chelsea Manning. Picture: APSource:AP

 

In her first column for the newspaper, Manning attacked Mr Obama as a weak leader with “few permanent accomplishments”.

“The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama’s legacy: do not start off with a compromise,” Manning wrote. “They won’t meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader.”

Former President Barack Obama was criticised by Chelsea Manning. Picture: AFP
Former President Barack Obama was criticised by Chelsea Manning. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

 

 
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen through the window of the door leading to the balcony of the Ecuadorean embassy in central London. Picture: AFP
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen through the window of the door leading to the balcony of the Ecuadorean embassy in central London. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

 

Mr Trump, who has also been critical of Mr Obama and his administration, said Manning’s criticism of the former president was “terrible.”

“Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should have never been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible,” he wrote.

Manning, a transgender woman, also criticised Mr Obama for his response to the Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando, which targeted gay and lesbian patrons on Latin night.

“In the aftermath of the deadly shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando that took the lives of nearly 50 queer and brown people, it took Obama over 300 words of his speech to acknowledge the queer community, and even then, as an abstract acronym,” she said.

US President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama. Picture: AFP
US President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

Australian Julian Assange had said that he would be extradited to the US from the Ecuadorean embassy in London if Manning was released. However, he has flip flopped on whether he will honour his promise.
Manning is set to be released from prison in May.

Source: News Corp Australia Network:

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