Trump urges end to probe ‘now,’ setting off new storm
WASHINGTON — President Trump bluntly declared yesterday his attorney general should terminate “right now” the special counsel probe into as-yet-unsubstantiated suspicions of collusion between his presidential campaign and the Russian government.
Trump also assailed the trial, just underway, of his former campaign chairman by the special counsel’s team.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that Trump’s tweet was “not an order” and the president was not directing his attorney general to do anything.
“It’s the president’s opinion,” she said.
But Trump’s early morning tweetstorm suggested he might try to end special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, which critics say was started on flimsy grounds without an actual crime having been identified.
Meanwhile, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said negotiations are continuing to have Trump sit down for questions from Mueller, though the lawyer said, “I’m not going to give you a lot of hope that it’s going to happen.”
He said both sides had exchanged proposals for conditions for such an interview, “and yesterday we got a letter back from them and now we’re in the process of responding.”
Responding to reporters’ suggestions that Trump’s tweets could amount to obstruction of justice, Sanders said, “The president’s not obstructing, he’s fighting back.”
Among his tweets, Trump said: “This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!”
The president’s anger came the day after the start of the trial of his former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who is facing federal charges of bank fraud and tax evasion. And while Mueller did not bring any electionrelated charges against Manafort, the specter of the Russian investigation is hanging over the Alexandria, Va., courthouse. And Trump’s White House.
“Paul Manafort worked for Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole and many other highly prominent and respected political leaders,” Trump tweeted. “He worked for me for a very short time. Why didn’t government tell me that he was under investigation. These old charges have nothing to do with Collusion — a Hoax!”