Trump: Rosenstein can stay in job after ‘nice talk’
President Donald Trump declared a reprieve yesterday for Rod Rosenstein, saying he has no plans to fire his deputy attorney general whose future has been the source of intense speculation for two weeks.
‘‘I’m not making any changes,’’ Trump told reporters as he returned to the White House after travelling with Rosenstein to an international police chiefs’ conference in Florida. ‘‘We just had a very nice talk. We actually get along.’’
The flight provided an opportunity for their most extensive conversation since news reports last month that Rosenstein had discussed the possibilities in early 2017 of secretly recording Trump to expose chaos in the White House and invoking constitutional provisions to have him removed from office.
Those reports triggered an avalanche of speculation about the future of Rosenstein – and also the special counsel’s investigation into possible co-ordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. The deputy attorney general appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller to his special counsel post and closely oversees his work.
Trump said earlier in the day that he had ‘‘a very good relationship’’ with Rosenstein and was eager to speak with him aboard Air Force One on the flight to Florida.
They did talk, for about 45 minutes, but not alone, a White House spokesman said. The subjects: violent crime in Chicago, support for local law enforcement, border security, the conference they were flying to and ‘‘general DOJ business,’’ spokesman Hogan Gidley said without elaboration.
‘‘I didn’t know Rod before, but I’ve gotten to know him,’’ Trump said at the White House earlier.
The Justice Department issued statements meant to deny the reporting, saying Rosenstein never pursued or authorised recording the president and did not believe there was a basis for invoking the 25th Amendment of the Constitution, which would involve the Cabinet and vice president agreeing to remove him.
And the remark about secretly recording the president was meant sarcastically, according to a statement the department issued from someone who it said was in the room. –AP