#Trump blasts CNN over report on Matt Gaetz meeting

Former President Donald Trump blasted CNN for its report that claimed he refused to meet with Rep. Matt Gaetz, who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, saying the cable news network “probably made the whole thing up” — and questioning why the network is not instead reporting on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s relationship with a Chinese spy.

“Fake News CNN, relying on all anonymous sources, meaning they probably made the whole thing up, wrote a very dishonest story claiming Congressman Matt Gaetz asked for a meeting with me at Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, and was denied. This is completely false,” Trump wrote in a statement released late Monday.

CNN reported Sunday that the former president refused to meet with the congressman, suggesting that Trump and other Republican leaders were distancing themselves from Gaetz (R-Fla.), who is reportedly under investigation by the feds over whether he slept with a 17-year-old girl and violated sexual trafficking laws. 

Gaetz also denied the CNN report and demanded its retraction.

“This is a total lie. I am on a pre-planned vacation with my fiancée. I was welcomed at Trump Doral days ago,” Gaetz posted on Twitter Sunday evening.

“No such meeting was denied nor sought. … When can we expect a retraction?” he continued.

​In his statement, Trump also questioned why CNN isn’t reporting on Swalwell (D-Calif.) and his connection to a Chinese spy who cozied up to a number of US politicians and allegedly slept with two Midwestern mayors in her attempts to infiltrate the US political system. 

Fang Fang​, aka Christine Fang,​ also helped raise funds for Swalwell’s 2014 re-election campaign and was photographed with the California congressman.

“Why doesn’t CNN investigate and write about lightweight Democrat Congressman Eric Swalwell, who had a torrid and physical relationship with the Chinese spy Fang-Fang, but is somehow on the once-prestigious House Intelligence Committee​,” Trump said in the statement.

Swalwell has not denied sleeping with the spy when asked.

“Swalwell, who ran for President and dropped out with a record-setting 0% in the polls, has been compromised and is a national security threat to the United States​ ​—​ ​he should be removed from the Committee immediately!​,” he continued. 

​Federal investigators who were looking into Fang informed Swalwell about her status as a spy in 2015, when he alleges he cut off contact with her. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appointed Swalwell to serve on the House Homeland Security Committee in January, after the relationship had been revealed.

He also sits on the House Intelligence Committee.