President Trump and his legal team have rejected efforts from special counsel Robert Mueller to schedule a sit-down interview with the president as part of the ongoing Russia investigation, according to a new report.
After Trump submitted written responses to questions from Mueller in November, which touched on a number of matters prior to Trump’s inauguration, Mueller requested an in-person interview because he was “not satisfied,” one source familiar with the situation told CNN.
Although the possibility of an interview was first raised last January, sources say that both sides remained at odds for the past five weeks. Trump’s team has argued an interview is superfluous because Trump already provided written responses and has made it clear the president would not cooperate any further.
Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani signaled last month such a request from Mueller’s team would be rejected. “Over my dead body,” Giuliani said in an interview on Fox News in December about the possibility of a sit-down interview. “But you know, I could be dead.”
Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin.
