Two lawyers for President Donald Trump are urging the President to decline special counsel Robert Mueller’s request for an interview in the Russia probe out of concern that Trump would end up lying to investigators, the New York Times reported Monday, citing four sources familiar with the matter.
Trump’s lawyers have been discussing the possibility of an interview with Mueller’s team since late last year, and they’ve reportedly been looking for ways to avoid or limit a sit-down interview between the President and Mueller’s investigators.
Now, John Dowd and his deputy, Jay Sekulow, are urging Trump to avoid the interview. Trump has a history of making contradictory statements, leading his attorneys to worry that he could commit perjury and be charged with lying to investigators. Trump’s attorneys and some of his advisers believe its unlikely Mueller would subpoena a sitting president if he refuses an interview, per the Times.
Though many hope Trump will decline the interview, Ty Cobb, another lawyer for the President, has steadily pushed for Trump to fully cooperate with Mueller’s probe and accept the request for an interview, the Times reported.
Trump himself has said he is willing to sit for an interview with Mueller’s investigators, going so far as to say last month that he’d be willing to talk to Mueller under oath. After that comment, Cobb quickly clarified that Trump didn’t mean to say he’d be willing to testify under oath.
