US president hits out at Russia probe chief
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he had a nasty and contentious business relationship with Robert Mueller, and he called on the special counsel to disclose such “conflicts of interest” in one of his most direct attacks on the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Trump didn’t say what those conflicts were, but he said he turned down Mueller to lead the FBI for a second time before Mueller was appointed special counsel, and that James Comey, whom Trump fired as FBI chief, is Mueller’s “close friend.”
“Is Robert Mueller ever going to release his conflicts of interest with respect to President Trump, including the fact that we had a very nasty & contentious business relationship,” Trump said in a tweet on Sunday, one of many in an active day on Twitter complaining about the investigation, press coverage, and immigration.
Trump has escalated his attacks on Mueller and the probe he repeatedly calls a “witch hunt,” in what is seen as an attempt to influence public opinion before Mueller produces a report, and as the November midterm elections that will decide control of Congress draw closer.
Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, also appeared on two Sunday political shows to deny a report that Trump knew about a 2016 meeting between his campaign and Russians that’s a central focus of the probe.trump said in another tweet on Sunday that Mueller, known to be a lifelong Republican, only appointed as prosecutors “angry” Democrats who have contributed to or previously supported Democrats.
The Washington Post reported in July 2017 that some of Trump’s lawyers were exploring ways to limit or undercut Mueller’s probe.