President Trump denied that he ever instructed former White House counsel Don McGahn to fire special counsel Robert Mueller.
“As has been incorrectly reported by the Fake News Media, I never told then White House Counsel Don McGahn to fire Robert Mueller, even though I had the legal right to do so. If I wanted to fire Mueller, I didn’t need McGahn to do it, I could have done it myself,” Trump tweeted Thursday morning. “Nevertheless,……..Mueller was NOT fired and was respectfully allowed to finish his work on what I, and many others, say was an illegal investigation (there was no crime), headed by a Trump hater who was highly conflicted, and a group of 18 VERY ANGRY Democrats. DRAIN THE SWAMP!”
As has been incorrectly reported by the Fake News Media, I never told then White House Counsel Don McGahn to fire Robert Mueller, even though I had the legal right to do so. If I wanted to fire Mueller, I didn’t need McGahn to do it, I could have done it myself. Nevertheless,….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2019
….Mueller was NOT fired and was respectfully allowed to finish his work on what I, and many others, say was an illegal investigation (there was no crime), headed by a Trump hater who was highly conflicted, and a group of 18 VERY ANGRY Democrats. DRAIN THE SWAMP!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2019
The New York Times reported in 2018 that Trump sought to oust Mueller in June 2017. He instructed McGahn to fire Mueller, but McGahn refused to comply with the order and threatened he would step down from his post.
According to the Times, Trump reportedly claimed that there were conflicts of interests that prevented Mueller from carrying out his investigation. He pointed to a dispute concerning fees at Trump’s National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., which prompted Mueller end his membership there.
He also cited the fact Mueller was previously employed by a firm that represented his son-in-law and White House senior adviser, Jared Kushner.
Last week, a redacted version of Mueller’s report was released and concluded that the Trump campaign did not collude with the Kremlin during the 2015 election. But, the report did not clear Trump of obstruction of justice and said Mueller investigated 10 instances of potential obstruction.
In response, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., moved to subpoena McGahn for testimony and for documents related to obstruction of justice.
“Mr. McGahn is a critical witness to many of the alleged instances of obstruction of justice and other misconduct described in the Mueller report,” Nadler said in a statement last week. “His testimony will help shed further light on the President’s attacks on the rule of law, and his attempts to cover up those actions by lying to the American people and requesting others do the same.”
