Assange Claims He Asked Trump Jr. to Put Emails on WikiLeaks

Julian Assange claims he asked Donald Trump Jr. to use WikiLeaks to release an explosive email chain related to his meeting with a Russian lawyer two hours before the president's eldest son posted them himself.

Contacted Trump Jr this morning on why he should publish his emails (i.e with us). Two hours later, does it himself: https://t.co/FzCttGSyr6

— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 11, 2017

Assange argued in a series of tweets Tuesday that Trump Jr.'s "enemies" would "milk isolated phrases" in the message chain "with their own context, spin, and according to their own strategic timetable."

(1/3) I argued that his enemies have it--so why not the public? His enemies will just milk isolated phrases for weeks or months...

— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 11, 2017

(2/3) with their own context, spin and according to their own strategic timetable. Better to be transparent and have the full context..

— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 11, 2017

And he suggested Trump Jr. could be in deeper hot water if he self-published the emails instead of releasing them anonymously through a third party.

(3/3) but would have been safer for us to publish it anonymously sourced. By publishing it himself it is easier to submit as evidence.

— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 11, 2017