President Trump attempted to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, who is spearheading the federal Russia inquiry, according to a new report.
After Trump gave the order in June 2017, White House counsel Donald McGahn warned of the dire consequences of such a move for Trump and threatened to quit rather than inform the Justice Department of Trump’s decision, sources told the New York Times.
Trump did not press the order any further after McGahn’s warning.
Mueller is leading a team that is investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin during the 2016 election.
Trump reportedly claimed that there were conflicts of interests that prevented Mueller from carrying out his investigation, citing a controversy concerning fees at Trump’s National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., that led to Mueller ending his membership there. The president also took issue with Mueller being previously employed at a firm that represented his son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner.
Trump lawyer John Dowd refuted that Trump had considered firing Mueller in August. “That’s never been on the table, never,’’ Dowd told USA TODAY. “It’s a manifestation of the media. My dealings with Bob Mueller have always been cordial, respectful — the way it should be.” Trump also said that same month that he had not given “any thought” to firing Mueller.
Additionally, the report said Trump considered removing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who tapped Mueller, and replacing him with Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand to oversee the Russia probe.
Trump’s lawyer Ty Cobb and other White House officials have since sought to encourage Trump to not be hostile with Mueller and have assured him for months that the probe is nearly complete.
When asked to comment for the report, Cobb told the Times: “We decline to comment out of respect for the Office of the Special Counsel and its process.”
At one point, Trump grew so frustrated with Mueller that former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus grew “incredibly concerned” Trump would oust Mueller. As a result, they sought assistance from others to help talk Trump down, the Washington Post revealed in a follow-up report Thursday.
Mueller was chosen to be special counsel in May 2017 after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey.
While he hasn’t confirmed it publicly, the Post reported in mid June last year that Mueller was also examining whether Trump obstructed justice.
Trump has maintained on multiple occasions that no collusion occurred and has repeatedly called the inquiry a “witch hunt.”
The report comes on the heels of Trump saying he is “looking forward” to being interviewed by Mueller.
“I’m am looking forward to it, actually,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday, then added that he would be willing to interview with Mueller under oath.
But he also noted his lawyers would play a role in the decision.
“You know, again, it’s … subject to my lawyers and all of that — but I would love to do it,” he said.
