President Donald Trump mused Monday that he could personally run special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference and related matters “if I want,” according to Reuters’ Jeff Mason.
Exclusive: @realDonaldTrump tells @Reuters he has chosen not to be involved in Mueller probe but is "totally allowed" to be if he wanted to. "I've decided to stay out. Now, I don't have to stay out, as you know. I can go in and I could… do whatever, I could run it if I want."
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) August 20, 2018
Mason also wrote on Twitter that Trump said he hadn’t “given much thought” to stripping Mueller’s security clearance, a move some critics thought he could pursue after revoking former CIA Director John Brennan’s clearance.
Exclusive: @realDonaldTrump, asked if he would take away Mueller's security clearance, tells Reuters he hasn't given that a lot of thought
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) August 20, 2018
Trump also echoed his lawyers, who’ve warned that a sit-down interview with Mueller might lead the President to lie, criminally, to the federal agent. In a write-up of that portion of the conversation, Reuters said Trump “expressed fears that investigators could compare his statements with that of others who have testified in the probe, such as former FBI Director James Comey.”
“Even if I am telling the truth, that makes me a liar,” Trump said. “That’s no good.”
EXCLUSIVE: @realDonaldTrump tells Reuters that speaking to Mueller's team could be a perjury trap; he declined to say whether he would do an interview
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) August 20, 2018
This post has been updated.
