Trump mocks CNN after 3 top staffers resign over retracted Russia story

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June 27, 2017 2:27 PM

President Donald Trump taunted CNN after the network retracted a story saying Congress was investigating a Russian investment fund with ties to Trump officials.

President Donald Trump during an event at the White House.

President Donald Trump mocked CNN on Tuesday after the network retracted a story that said Congress was investigating a Russian investment fund with ties to Trump officials.

In a series of tweets, the president noted the resignations of respected journalists Thomas Frank, the story's author, as well as investigative editors Eric Lichtblau and Lex Haris. The three resigned on Monday.

Trump also claimed CNN's ratings had been declining — even though the network has seen skyrocketing year-over-year ratings attributable in part to fascination with the tumultuous transition and first months of the Trump administration.

"Fake News CNN is looking at big management changes now that they got caught falsely pushing their phony Russian stories. Ratings way down!" Trump wrote, using the opportunity to also attack other media outlets.

Over the weekend, CNN retracted the online story, which cited a single anonymous source, saying it did not meet the network's editorial standards.

The story claimed that the Senate Intelligence Committee was investigating the head of a large Russian investment fund who met with Anthony Scaramucci, a member of the Trump transition team, before the inauguration.

In its retraction, CNN apologized to the New York financier, who hat-tipped CNN on Twitter.

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