NYT: Trump Eyeing Further Legal Team Shakeup As Mueller Probe Intensifies

on March 1, 2018 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 01: U.S. President Donald Trump participates in a meeting with leaders of the steel and aluminum industries at the White House March 1, 2018 in Washington, DC. Trump announced planned tariffs ... WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 01: U.S. President Donald Trump participates in a meeting with leaders of the steel and aluminum industries at the White House March 1, 2018 in Washington, DC. Trump announced planned tariffs on imported steel and aluminum during the meeting, with details to be released at a later date. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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After bringing on a new attorney to his outside legal team, Joseph diGenova, on Monday, President Donald Trump is weighing additional changes for his team of attorneys handling the Russia investigations, the New York Times reported late Monday.

Trump has told associates recently that he is considering firing Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer who handles the Russia probes and the loudest voice urging Trump to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, according to the New York Times. Trump told Cobb on Monday that he was not going to fire him, however, per the Times.

John Dowd, a member of Trump’s outside legal team, is considering resigning out of frustration that he cannot control the President, two people briefed on the matter told the New York Times. Dowd was angered by Trump’s decision to hire diGenova, viewing it as a move to minimize his role on Trump’s legal team, two sources told the Washington Post. Dowd told the Times that he has no plans to leave and told the Post that he was happy with diGenova’s hire.

Trump is also still considering hiring Emmet Flood, an attorney who represented Bill Clinton during the impeachment process, according to the Washington Post.

The potential for a shakeup on Trump’s legal team comes as the President escalates his attacks on the Russia investigation. Over the weekend, Trump fired off several angry tweets, using Mueller’s name for the first time. Dowd also called for Mueller’s firing over the weekend and was forced to clarify that he was not speaking for the President in making that statement after first stating that he was. The incident prompted Cobb to issue a statement ensuring that Trump was not considering firing Mueller.

Trump has been complaining recently that his lawyers are not doing enough to protect him, a person with knowledge of Trump’s actions told the Washington Post.

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