Hillary Clinton, former US secretary of state and a two-time Democratic presidential candidate, should have been "taken right off the campaign," and thrown in jail back in 2016, Trump told Fox News' "Fox & Friends" Thursday.
According to Trump, the reason that didn't happen was a letter to the US Congress by former FBI Director James Comey.
"The Democrats hated Comey more than any human being," Trump said. "He actually did Hillary Clinton a big favor, because she should be in jail."
During the campaign, the FBI investigated Clinton's misuse of her private email server regarding classified information, but in July of 2016, Comey announced that he would not recommend charges against Clinton, seemingly putting the matter to rest. But on October 28, 2016, in what the Washington Times calls an unprecedented move, Comey penned a letter to Congress following the discovery of new information potentially pertaining to the case, notifying them publicly that the investigation into Clinton's server had been reopened. Many, including Clinton herself, believe that missive cost her the entire race.
Trump famously promised to put Clinton in prison, sparking the famous "lock her up" chant, which took off in summer 2016 during the campaign.
"If I win," Trump warned during a live debate with Clinton later that fall, "I'm going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation, because there's never been so many lies, so much deception."
Clinton replied by saying that it is "awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country."
"Because," Trump replied, "you'd be in jail."
On May 9, 2017, Trump fired Comey, citing a recommendation from US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, which itself was based on a memo from Sessions' deputy, Rod Rosenstein, criticizing Comey's handling of the Clinton investigation, the Washington Times recalls.
"Don't forget, Comey is a very bad guy. This country got very lucky when I fired him," Trump said on Fox News.
