Former Trump campaign adviser Rick Gates is in the final stages of reaching a plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller after approximately a month of negotiations, according to a new report.
The news signals he intends to comply with Mueller’s Russia probe.
Gates and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort were indicted by a federal grand jury last fall on 12 charges related to the work they did in Ukraine before joining Trump’s campaign, including conspiracy against the U.S., tax fraud, and money laundering.
But the White House isn’t concerned that any such plea deal would jeopardize President Trump, whose 2016 campaign is being looked at by Mueller for possible collusion with the Russians.
“There’d be no anxiety here” if Gates arranged a plea deal and cooperated with Mueller, a White House official told CNN.
The White House expects that Mueller is seeking information from Gates concerning his relationship with Manafort and Manafort’s business history, not actions concerning the presidential campaign or transition.
Manafort and Gates pleaded not guilty at a federal courthouse hearing late last year.
