When President Trump found out that special counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to conduct the Russia investigation, he thought his presidency was doomed.
“Oh my god. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I’m fucked,” Trump said upon hearing the news from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
A redacted version of Mueller’s report was released Thursday and details the moments after Trump heard the news of Mueller’s appointment. The report, drawing from Sessions’ chief of staff Jody Hunt’s notes, says that Trump became furious at Sessions for his decision to recuse himself from the investigation and told Sessions that he should resign.
“How could you let this happen, Jeff?” Trump asked. “… [Y]ou were supposed to protect me.”
Trump contrasted Sessions to former Attorneys General Eric Holder and Robert Kennedy, who served under Presidents Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy respectively, according to the report, which didn’t say if the comparison was negative or positive. The president told Sessions the appointment was the worst possible scenario for his administration.
“Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency,” Trump said. “It takes years and years and I won’t be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me.”
After the angry interaction, Sessions agreed to resign and left the Oval Office.
Former White House communications director Hope Hicks told Mueller’s team that she encountered Trump shortly after the interaction and described him as extremely upset by news of the appointment. She said that she had only seen Trump that distraught one other time — when the “Access Hollywood” tape was released during his campaign, where Trump was recorded saying he could grab women “by the pussy.”
