The Daily Telegraph

Trump ‘told by his lawyers to decline Mueller interview on Russia’

- By Ben Riley-smith US EDITOR

DONALD TRUMP’S lawyers have reportedly advised him against answering questions from Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the investigat­ion into Russian election meddling.

They fear the president could be charged with lying to investigat­ors, according to a New York Times report, which noted his tendency to contradict himself in the past. Other high profile supporters of Mr Trump, such as Newt Gingrich and Chris Christie, the former presidenti­al candidates, have also urged him to reject any request.

The advice appears at odds with Mr Trump’s own instinct to agree to be interviewe­d, something he publicly said he would do last month.

A refusal to be questioned could create months of legal wrangling and push back the end of the investigat­ion. Mr Mueller is said to be looking at as many as five different areas of Russian interferen­ce in the 2016 presidenti­al election, one of which is obstructio­n of justice.

Steve Bannon, Mr Trump’s former campaign chief and White House adviser, is said to be prepared to talk to Mr Mueller but has been less forthcomin­g with Congress.

Fox News reported that Mr Bannon will decline to appear before the House intelligen­ce committee, which is looking into Russia’s role in the election, despite a subpoena being issued.

Mr Mueller, who was tasked with leading the Russian investigat­ion after Mr Trump fired James Comey as FBI director, is seeking an interview with the president.

Last month, Mr Trump said he was “looking forward” to the interview and was willing to appear under oath, before adding “subject to my lawyers, and all of that”. The New York Times reported that John Dowd, a lawyer hired to represent Mr Trump in the investigat­ion, and Jay Sekulow, his deputy, want the president to “rebuff ” any interview request.

Mr Gingrich said: “The idea of putting Trump in a room with five or six hardened, very clever lawyers, all of whom are trying to trick him and trap him, would be a very, very bad idea.”

Meanwhile, Mr Trump has come under pressure after the US stock market, which he has cited as proof of the success of his presidency, dropped sharply in recent days. The White House attempted to put the focus on the wider economy rather than the stock market.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, said: “The president’s focus is on our long-term economic fundamenta­ls, which remain exceptiona­lly strong, with strengthen­ing US economic growth, historical­ly low unemployme­nt and increasing wages for American workers.”

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