USA TODAY International Edition
Trump claims Mueller is just ‘looking for trouble’
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump kept up his attacks on Robert Mueller’s office Monday, saying the special counsel is trying to pin something on him by interviewing the White House counsel for some 30 hours.
“Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone looking for trouble,” Trump said in a pair of tweets.
Trump, a longtime critic of the special counsel, continued a new line of attack that began over the weekend with news that Mueller’s team has, over the past year, interviewed White House counsel Don McGahn for some 30 hours.
The president’s critics said the ongoing tweets are a sure sign that Trump is panicked by Mueller’s findings and seeking to undermine the prosecutor ahead of some kind of legal action. They also said the criticisms indicate that Trump will refuse to testify before Mueller, a subject that attorneys for both men have negotiated for months.
In his tweets Monday, Trump said he waived executive privilege in allowing Mueller to speak with McGahn, hoping it would expedite the investigation.
Trump said prosecutors “are enjoying ruining people’s lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side ... They are a National Disgrace!”
Responding to Trump on Twitter, Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson said, “REMINDER: Trump refuses to testify to the Special Counsel investigation because: 1) His lawyers know he’ll lie 2) He’s so crooked, scandalplagued and corrupt that he’s essentially taking the 5th 3) both.”
The president does not know for sure what kind of information McGahn may have provided to Mueller, who is investigating possible contacts between Trump’s presidential campaign and Russians who sought to influence the 2016 election on their behalf.
Mueller is also investigating whether Trump has sought to obstruct the Russia investigation.
The renewed attacks on Mueller, a lifelong Republican, come at a pivotal time in the probe, as a jury is deliberating bank fraud charges against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Many legal analysts believe Mueller is seeking testimony from Manafort, and a conviction would increase the pressure.
For his part, Trump has defended his campaign aide and suggested he hopes for an acquittal.