President Donald Trump has been paranoid that Robert Mueller holds past grudges that influence his investigation since the first day he was appointed special counsel, according to a Friday Bloomberg report.
In May of last year, the day Trump found out about Mueller’s appointment and exploded so violently at Attorney General Jeff Sessions that Sessions tried to resign, the President immediately cited past run-ins with Mueller that he felt would preclude the special counsel from being impartial.
One of those incidents occurred over ten years ago, when Mueller tried to get reimbursement from Trump’s National Golf Club in Northern Virginia after he cancelled his membership. Per Bloomberg, a spokesperson for Mueller has said that there was no dispute, while Trump maintains that the two had a contentious conversation.
The other interaction that sprang into Trump’s mind happened much more recently — the day before Mueller was appointed to the special counsel role, Trump had interviewed and dismissed Mueller to be director of the FBI.
Trump’s advisers have reportedly tried to quash his panic, soothing him that Mueller would not be out to get him for a decade-old membership fee dispute or rejection from a job he had already held for 12 years.
It hasn’t worked. Trump still harbors — and voices — his conviction that Mueller is “conflicted” and trying to take him down.
..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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
This old paranoia will likely come into play even more pointedly as Trump indicates a growing desire and willingness to interfere with the investigation, and weighs a sit-down interview with Mueller.
