WASHINGTON — President Trump has seized on a bombshell New York Times scoop as further evidence that he has been unfairly targeted as part of a “witch hunt.”

The Times reported on Friday that the FBI was so concerned with his behavior toward Russia that they started an investigation into whether Trump was actually working on behalf of the regime of Vladimir Putin or had fallen under their influence. The investigation was launched after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey and then tied that action to Comey’s handling of the Russia probe. Robert Mueller took over the investigation when he was appointed special counsel.

Rather than call the Times report “fake news,” as he has with so many other anonymously sourced Times reports, Trump used it to again claim that he was justified in getting rid of Comey. He unleashed on Twitter, in a series of tweets that tied together many claims that he has made in the past, most without evidence or specifics, that he’s the victim of a conspiracy orchestrated by the intelligence and law enforcement communities, as well as by Democrats.

“Wow, just learned in the Failing New York Times that the corrupt former leaders of the FBI, almost all fired or forced to leave the agency for some very bad reasons, opened up an investigation on me, for no reason & with no proof, after I fired Lyin’ James Comey, a total sleaze!”

Wow, just learned in the Failing New York Times that the corrupt former leaders of the FBI, almost all fired or forced to leave the agency for some very bad reasons, opened up an investigation on me, for no reason & with no proof, after I fired Lyin’ James Comey, a total sleaze! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2019

He then added, “…Funny thing about James Comey. Everybody wanted him fired, Republican and Democrat alike. After the rigged & botched Crooked Hillary investigation, where she was interviewed on July 4th Weekend, not recorded or sworn in, and where she said she didn’t know anything (a lie) ….the FBI was in complete turmoil (see N.Y. Post) because of Comey’s poor leadership and the way he handled the Clinton mess (not to mention his usurpation of powers from the Justice Department). My firing of James Comey was a great day for America. He was a Crooked Cop………who is being totally protected by his best friend, Bob Mueller, & the 13 Angry Democrats – leaking machines who have NO interest in going after the Real Collusion (and much more) by Crooked Hillary Clinton, her Campaign, and the Democratic National Committee. Just Watch!”

Trump continued to claim that he has been “far tougher” on Russia than his predecessors. “Maybe tougher than any other President. At the same time, & as I have often said, getting along with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. I fully expect that someday we will have good relations with Russia again!”

Then he went back to his attacks on Comey, former FBI director Andrew McCabe and agents Peter Strozk and Lisa Page. All have been frequent targets by right-wing media outlets that claim that the so-called “deep state” to working to undermine Trump’s presidency.

“Lyin’ James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter S and his lover, agent Lisa Page, & more, all disgraced and/or fired and caught in the act. These are just some of the losers that tried to do a number on your President. Part of the Witch Hunt. Remember the ‘insurance policy?’ This is it!”

On Twitter, Comey quoted President Franklin D. Roosevelt. “I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.”