JUST IN: BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith calls into @MSNBC to discuss the special counsel's new statement, and BuzzFeed News' response to that statement, with @chrislhayes . pic.twitter.com/oYcf3Q3MQ4

On Friday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “All In,” BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith stood by BuzzFeed’s story about President Trump ordering Michael Cohen to lie to Congress and stated that the special counsel’s statement about the story is a “very vague” one that they want to see clarified.

Smith said, “[T]he special counsel issued this very vague statement. We are eager to know what he’s talking about.” Smith later added that the special counsel’s statement is “very hard” to understand.

Anchor Chris Hayes asked, “Do you stand by the reporting that you guys published, which is a scoop that no one else has or has confirmed?”

Smith responded, “Yes. As we wrote, we have two federal law enforcement officials — no game playing with those titles — who have told us that President Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. I mean, as you know, that Trump Tower in Moscow, which we reported on many months ago, the same two reporters, was at the heart of the indictment of Michael Cohen and really at the heart of a lot of this investigation.”

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