Trump ‘looks forward’ to testifying under oath in Russia probe
US President Donald Trump has said for the first time that he is willing to speak to Robert Mueller, saying that he is “looking forward to it”.
Speculation has been growing for several weeks that Mr Mueller, the special counsel appointed to investigate Russian meddling in the US election, was seeking to speak to Mr Trump.
Mr Trump’s lawyers were reportedly informed back in December that Mr Mueller was going to request an interview.
Whenever Mr Trump or Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, was asked if he was willing to talk to Mr Mueller, they gave only non-committal answers.
Speaking to reporters in an impromptu press conference in the doorway of his chief of staff ’s office, Mr Trump said last night that he would not have any problem with speaking to Mr Mueller.
“I would do it under it under oath,” he said. “I would love to do that as soon as possible.”
Mr Trump said he expects that to happen in the next two to three weeks.
He did, however, caveat that by stating that he would be willing to answer questions under oath, when he knew whether Hillary Clinton, his 2016 campaign rival, has spoken under oath to the FBI in its investigation into her use of a private email server while she served as secretary of state. Mrs Clinton gave a voluntary interview to investigators in July 2016.
Meanwhile, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron set out their vision for Europe yesterday as a counterweight to the values of Mr Trump’s United States at the Davos World Economic Forum.
The German chancellor told global business leaders at the Swiss resort that “protectionism is not the answer” and that judging people according to stereotypes is “the very basis of populism”. Mrs Merkel called for Europe to “take its destiny in its own hands” with a more active and ambitious foreign policy.
Mr Macron, the president of France, called for the EU to reform itself and come up with a “10-year strategic plan” to compete with China and the US. “In terms of trade, we’re moving towards greater protectionism... we’re undoing what globalisation has been able to achieve,” he said.
Mr Trump is expected to arrive in Davos today.
(© Daily Telegraph, London)