US President-elect Donald Trump says he has no intention of prosecuting his former Democratic rival Hillary Clinton over use of private email server, arguing that the former secretary of state has already “suffered greatly.”
Trump made the comments in an interview with the New York Times on Tuesday, adding that it would be “divisive” to pursue criminal investigations into Clinton’s email case or to appoint a special prosecutor to probe her.
“I don’t want to hurt the Clintons, I really don’t. She went through a lot and suffered greatly in many different ways,” Trump noted.
When asked if he has ruled out prosecuting Clinton, the president-elect said, “It’s just not something that I feel strongly about.”
Trump’s remarks are seen in stark contrast with the incendiary rhetoric he used throughout his presidential campaign, during which he accused Clinton of breaking laws with her email practices.
Trump once shouted at Clinton angrily, saying, “you’d be in jail” if he were president..
The former Democratic nominee underwent a long-running federal investigation over her use of private email server that involved exchanging thousands of potentially classified emails during her tenure as secretary of state between 2009 and 2013, but she was cleared of any involvement by the FBI earlier this year.
Clinton sent more than 30,000 emails to the State Department during her tenure as secretary, some of which were then published in batches in line with a court order.
The Trump campaign used the case as a means to attack the former first lady, arguing she is corrupt.
Trump won the presidential election with 306 votes in the Electoral College, 36 more than he required for winning the White House. – Press TV.
