But Trump’s online harangue about this nonsense went further than just the usual misinformation. From the president’s missive published to his social media platform:

It was just revealed that the FBI had secretly placed, against all Rules, Regulations, Protocols, and Standards, 274 FBI Agents into the Crowd just prior to, and during, the January 6th Hoax. This is different from what Director Christopher Wray stated, over and over again! That’s right, as it now turns out, FBI Agents were at, and in, the January 6th Protest, probably acting as Agitators and Insurrectionists, but certainly not as ‘Law Enforcement Officials.’ ... Christopher Wray, the then Director of the FBI, has some major explaining to do. That’s two in a row, Comey and Wray, who got caught LYING, with our Great Country at stake. WE CAN NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN TO AMERICA AGAIN!

Again, the details Trump presented as fact are, in reality, entirely fictional. But pay particular attention to the fact that the president specifically took aim at Wray — the former FBI director he appointed, before ultimately pushing him out without cause — explicitly (and falsely) arguing that Wray lied about what happened on Jan. 6.

A day later, Trump told NBC News that he believes Wray engaged in “inappropriate” behavior during his tenure at the bureau and said he “would think” the Justice Department is investigating him.

“I would imagine. I would certainly imagine. I would think they are doing that,” Trump said when he was asked whether the Justice Department should investigate Wray.

In other words, the president on Thursday successfully orchestrated a criminal indictment against one former FBI director he forced out (James Comey), and a couple of days later, the same president raised the prospect of a Justice Department investigation into a different former FBI director he forced out (Chris Wray).