This morning, Trump tweeted: “James Clapper called me yesterday to denounce the false and fictitious report that was illegally circulated. Made up, phony facts. Too bad!”

Hello? Clapper didn’t say the report was false or fictitious or contained made-up, phony facts. He only said that the information in the dossier attached to the report wasn’t yet substantiated. 

The big story here has nothing whatever to do with allegations about Russian prostitutes or bribes. The big story – which Trump desperately wants to deflect attention from – is evidence that Trump and/or people working for him met with and colluded with Russian operatives in rigging the 2016 presidential election.

That evidence exists. Intelligence agencies are digging into it. This is the bombshell. After January 20, Dan Coats, the incoming director of national intelligence, will probably stop the investigation. Keep your eye on this. Don’t be deflected by Trump’s ravings.

—Robert Reich