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US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump said yesterday that he “would love to” be questioned under oath by Russia collusion prosecutor Robert Mueller, adding it could happen in the coming weeks.
Trump confirmed that his lawyers were in discussion with Mueller, who is leading the investigation into allegations of collusion between the US president’s campaign and Russia in the 2016 election, and also into accusations that Trump tried to obstruct his probe.
“I would love to do it,” Trump told reporters in the White House when asked about testifying.
“I would like to do it as soon as possible… subject to my lawyers and all of that.”
“I would do it under oath, absolutely,” he added.
Asked when an interview could happen, Trump replied that he didn’t know exactly.
“Yesterday, they were talking about two or three weeks,” he said.
It was the first time Trump said directly that he would cooperate with Mueller, whose investigation he has repeatedly dismissed as being based on “fake news”.
“There has been no collusion whatsoever. There is no obstruction whatsoever,” he said yesterday.
Executive privilege
But any interview of a US president in an investigation is fraught with issues of executive privilege – how much and in what context the US leader can be forced to disclose information.
In Trump’s case, it also raises deep concerns that his shoot-from-the-hip outspokenness could jeopardize his own legal position.
White House lawyer Ty Cobb later seemed to walk back Trump’s remarks, saying the president just meant that he was willing to meet, The New York Times reported.
“He’s ready to meet with them, but he’ll be guided by the advice of his personal counsel,” the newspaper quoted Cobb as saying.
Cobb has repeatedly said that the president is willing to testify to Mueller’s investigation, and wants Mueller to wind up the case as early as possible.
Mueller is believed to be focusing on whether Trump illegally interfered with the Russia investigation, particularly when he fired FBI director James Comey last year.
Mueller, himself a former FBI director, is also examining the extent of communications between Russians and Trump campaign officials.
Those include a meeting in June 2016 between Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and a Russian lawyer who had allegedly offered them dirt on Trump’s election rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton.
He has already issued indictments for four people from the campaign, securing guilty pleas from two: former national security advisor Michael Flynn, and former foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos, both for making false statements.
Circling the White House
Mueller’s investigators have been edging steadily closer to the White House, last week interviewing Attorney General Jeff Sessions – who was a top Trump campaign official and had three meetings in 2016 with Russia’s US ambassador, Sergei Kislyak.
He has interviewed Comey and other former officials, and is reportedly going to interview former White House strategist Steve Bannon in the coming days.
The form of a Mueller interview with the president still needs to be negotiated – whether it is face-to-face, or in writing, or a mix.
Trump told reporters yesterday he would listen to his lawyers’ advice on how to proceed. Asked if he thought Mueller would be fair, he replied:
We are going to find out… I hope so.
But the case might not be cleared easily. Trump’s repeated tweets attacking Comey and the FBI have added to suspicions that he has sought to stymie the Mueller investigation.
On Tuesday, the Washington Post reported that Trump had pressed Comey’s temporary replacement, FBI deputy director and Comey loyalist Andrew McCabe, to tell him who he voted for in the 2016 election.
Since then, Trump has pressured the current FBI chief, Christopher Wray, to fire McCabe.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders dismissed The Post’s report on the Trump-McCabe exchange by saying she doubts “any person in America” cares about it.
That sparked a mass rebuttal on Twitter by Trump critics declaring they do care, using the hashtag #onewhodoes.
The US president is travelling to Davos this today to the World Economic Forum.
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I read about Mueller. An extremely serious and driven and principled guy not motivated by money. Whatever the truth is it appears he is capable of and focused enough to uncover it.
@Michael Ahern:
Very reassuring for Donald and the Republicans. There’s no way in hell Democrats will get to use this inquiry as a political weapon no matter how hard they try.
@Michael Ahern: I hope Trump brings the cuffs lol.
Another article, another anti-Trump meltdown in the comments section. Better toughen up folks as your in for 7 more years of him.
#ReleaseTheMemo
@Thought for Food:
#releasethetaxreturns
@Thought for Food: LMAO
@Thought for Food:just say that we’re in for another “7 more years of him” ,how will he get things through Congress & the Senate,when it will most likely be controlled by the Democrats ?
@Thought for Food: Hey havent heard about the uranium scandal, Obama wiretapping trump scandal, or Hilary email scandal in a while. I thought they were huge, but no-one has been arrested. Anyway I guess this memo thing is the big one. That isnt going to disappear really soon. Sure that Devin Nunes lad seems sound and totally trustworthy.
@Thought for Food: #you’repathetic
Jesus Christ, you sound like a 13 year old.
@Sean: You type like a 13 year old
@Thought for Food: Its a republican holding the memo, republicans have seen the memo. Can you guess who wont release details of the memo.
@Simon O’Connor: Sean knows enough to end his sentences with a full stop, though. #hoist #petard
Who writes these AFP articles?
Hilary Clinton?
Seriously though Donald has the demeanour of an innocent man. Not a care in the world. Normally a president under threat would be tight lipped, paranoid even, not The Don, he’s just carrying on as normal going about his daily business of running the country and growing the economy in much the same manner as our own leader Leo ’100% Mortgage’ Varadkar who the Irish love and adore.
I’ll tell you what though Mueller’s ears are gonna be ringing by the time he’s finished interviewing The Don.
Some say the noose is tightening (wishful Democrat thinking- Total Delusion- stop reading AFP articles)
REALITY CHECK:
In a short while Donald Trump will be exonerated, totally vindicated and even more buoyant than ever before, that’s gonna be a great day, a Great Day not just for the American people but for folks all across the civilised world especially here in Ireland the 51st state of the Union.
God bless America and God bless Ireland.
@Niccolo Saccho: Acting like not having a care in the world does not indicate innocence. The man lies all the time and backtracks. If you have no conscious you and think you are untouchable you can have the same demeanour
@Niccolo Saccho:
If you’re a pathological liar without a conscience why wouldn’t you appear like nothing is going on?
@Niccolo Saccho: reality check……god doesn’t exist. She’s just a figment of a deluded mind. Much like your comments here
PS. why do Trump and his supporters all have this obsession with Hilary Clinton??
@Niccolo Saccho: Hillary Clinton is out why the obsession?
@Paul Lanigan:
If ‘God’ doesn’t exist why have you consigned a particular gender?
Bit deluded if you ask me. Definitely confused.
‘Hilary Clinton?’
Because she’s your heroine.
And she lost.
Build a bridge.
Then walk over it.
@Niccolo Saccho:your frank account is gone>? awww
@Niccolo Saccho: Trump has the demeanour of a stupid man who doesn’t understand or care what is going on
@Niccolo Saccho: Didn’t he said that he was not investigated. Now he admits that he is.
@Niccolo Saccho: actually I’m a Bernie supporter
@Niccolo Saccho: fakety fake
Lock him up !
He could always fuel up airforce one and fly to Mexico
@Dave Thomas: I think that is what McCabe is doing right now
Seeing that he’s a pathological liar, that statement means nothing.
@Paul Furey: a bit like your comments
Of course he would love to do it, no doubt words that mean nothing will be uttered, will they ask the questions like “any mossad agents in your government” is donbeg going to be renamed “Putin haven”
The only way they would get a candid interview out of Trump is if they did it via Twitter. Doing it that way would be his saving grace as he’d be limited to 140 characters. His lawyers are also trying to limit his ‘exposure’ via talking as they want to give ‘written responses” to questions. If Trump went face-to-face with Mueller he’d start spouting off and hang himself. Then blame the Democrats.
One thing for certain Mueller’s not on a fishing expedition If he want’s an interview with Trump he has enough evidence for it or Trumps lawyers would have laughed him out of it.
He should tell Mueller to go for f himself after each question, and shove his fake dossier, now that would be hilarious.
@Eleanor of Aquitaine: gr8 b8 m8
Pro Trump Revolution
Trump: “I would love to testify under oath.”
Trump’s lawyers: “No he wouldn’t.”
Says it all really.
It has to be said Mr Cobb was a pretty good baseball player in his day. Talk about a career change.
I’d say Trumps handlers are shitting themselves. The man has no discipline!
Donald Trump testifying under oath would be a sight to see. He’d contradict himself 5 times in the first minute.
WHO started this bull but the Democrates because Hillary lost…
have your say