Watch CBS News

President Trump: Chelsea Manning Is An 'Ungrateful Traitor'

WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) - President Donald Trump blasted Chelsea Manning as an "ungrateful traitor" after she wrote an article saying former President Barack Obama, who commuted her sentence, made himself open to criticism by compromising.

Trump tweeted "Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!"

In an opinion piece published in The Guardian, Manning says Obama's biggest shortcoming was a tendency to compromise, because opponents would call him weak.

"This vulnerable legacy should remind us that what we really need is a strong and unapologetic progressive to lead us," Manning wrote. "What we need as well is a relentless grassroots movement to hold that leadership accountable."

She says, "We need someone who is unafraid to be criticized, since you will inevitably be criticized. We need someone willing to face all of the vitriol, hatred and dogged determination of those opposed to us.''

Obama commuted Manning's prison sentence in his final days in office.

Just last week, Manning tweeted her thanks to Obama for commuting her sentence.

Manning is expected to go free in May.

(TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.