Special counsel Robert Mueller is seeking to press President Trump about obstruction of justice during a potential sit-down interview, a new report says.
Mueller is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin. He also has expanded his investigation to look at possible obstruction of justice after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey.
Trump was informed in the last 24 hours that Mueller will narrow the scope of questioning, and is interested in both oral and written responses to questions, which prompted Trump’s attacks Wednesday morning against the Justice Department and the Russia probe, ABC reports.
“This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further,” Trump tweeted Wednesday morning. “Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!”
[Adam Schiff: Trump’s tweet on Jeff Sessions ‘an attempt to obstruct justice hiding in plain sight’]
Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said last week that Trump’s legal team requested Mueller to narrow the scope of questioning in a potential interview on questions of obstruction of justice.
Giuliani said Wednesday that Mueller has responded and is working on the Trump team’s response.
“They took about 10 days and yesterday we got a letter back for them. Now we’re in the process of responding to their proposal,” Giuliani said.
Earlier this year, Trump said he was “looking forward” to being interviewed by Mueller.
“I’m looking forward to it, actually,” Trump told reporters in January, noting that he would be willing to speak with Mueller under oath.
But then-White House lawyer Ty Cobb cautioned afterwards that Trump was in a rush and meant only that he was willing to meet with Mueller.
Mueller informed Trump’s legal team earlier this year that although Trump is not a criminal target in his investigation, he remains a subject of the probe, according to the Washington Post.
Trump has repeatedly denounced the investigation as a “witch hunt.”
