CIA Director Mike Pompeo confirmed Thursday he was interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller as part of his Russia probe, but refused to offer details, and said he doesn’t recall President Trump allegedly asking him to meddle with the FBI’s Russia probe.
The topics were the first ones raised by a Democrat — Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey — during Pompeo’s confirmation hearing to be secretary of state. Other Democrats later followed up by asking him additional questions about what Pompeo told Mueller.
WATCH: Mike Pompeo tells the Senate he’s been interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller as part of Mueller’s Russian probe pic.twitter.com/2hoRgpLd1u
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 12, 2018
Pompeo and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats reportedly were asked by Trump in March 2017 to intervene with then-FBI Director James Comey to get him to back off Mike Flynn, who briefly served as national security adviser. Coats decided the request was improper, the Washington Post reported.
“Senator, I’m not going to talk about the conversations that the president and I had,” Pompeo said, “but the article’s suggestion that he asked me to do anything improper is false.”
“I don’t recall what he asked me that day, precisely,” he added. “But I can tell you I’m with the president an awful lot. He has never asked me to do anything I consider remotely improper.”
Trump ultimately fired Comey in May, putting in motion the appointment of Mueller as special counsel to investigate possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia. Flynn pleaded guilty in December to lying to the FBI about contacts with Russia’s ambassador. He has not been sentenced.
Pompeo confirmed to Menendez that he “spoke with special counsel Mueller, who interviewed me, who requested an interview. I cooperated.” He said that he also cooperated with House and Senate intelligence committee investigations.
“Because of the fact that I don’t want to speak out, there should be no negative inferences with respect to anything, or for that matter positive inferences,” Pompeo said. “I think it’s most appropriate that while these investigations continue, I not speak to the conversations I’ve had with the various investigative bodies.”
