Trump says he could ‘run’ the Mueller probe himself ‘if I wanted to’

President Donald Trump has found someone he may have greater confidence in to oversee the Russia probe than special counsel Robert Mueller: himself.

‘I could run it if I want,’ Trump said, in a bald declaration of what he says is authority to either assist, or take over the Russia probe that has upended his term in office.

Trump told Reuters he is ‘totally allowed’ to intervene in the probe, but has chosen to stay out.

‘I could run it if I want,’ Trump said of the Russia probe

‘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,’ he said.

Trump made the brash statement on the third day of jury deliberations in the trial of his former campaign chair, Paul Manafort. The Jury concluded the day without reaching a verdict.

In recent days, the president has continued to rail against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who last year recused himself from the probe – a decion that led to the appointment of Mueller by deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein.

Trump said he would consider lifting sanctions on Russia, imposed by the Obama administration as well as his own, if Moscow moves toward the U.S. on issues like Ukraine. 

Trump did not say whether he would agree to an interview with Mueller

Trump did not say whether he would agree to an interview with Mueller

Trump last week revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, a formidable outside critic who called Trump’s Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘treasonous.’

He then continued to rail against Brennan and the Russia probe over the weekend. 

Trump also echoed a statement by his lawyer Rudy Giuliani that agreeing to an interview with Mueller’s investigators is a ‘perjury trap,’ as Giuliani put it.

‘Even if I am telling the truth, that makes me a liar,’ Trump said, without further explanation. ‘That´s no good.’ 

Trump said he would consider lifting sanctions on Russia, imposed by the Obama administration as well as his own, if Moscow moves toward the U.S. on issues like Ukraine. Here First Lady Melania Trump, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, and US President Donald Trump (L-R) after a news conference at the Presidential Palace

Trump said he would consider lifting sanctions on Russia, imposed by the Obama administration as well as his own, if Moscow moves toward the U.S. on issues like Ukraine. Here First Lady Melania Trump, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, and US President Donald Trump (L-R) after a news conference at the Presidential Palace

He said he was concerned that things he said in an interview could be used to bring charges against him.

The White House, Trump, and family members have offered conflicting statements about a June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower between Donald Trump Jr., Manafort, and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner with Russians who offered dirt on rival Hillary Clinton.

The Mueller team has charged former Trump campaign members with lying to the FBI during interviews as it investigates possible collusion between the Trump camp and the Russians. 

Trump has said repeatedly there was ‘no collusion.’ 

Trump on Friday called Mueller ‘totally conflicted’ even as he backed up Manafort, who could go to jail for the rest of his life if convicted and faces 18 charges on tax and fraud issues.

‘I think it’s a very sad day for our country. He worked for me for a very short period of time, but you know what? He happens to be a very good person. And I think it’s very sad what they’ve done to Paul Manafort,’ Trump said, defending Manafort while a jury deliberated in Virginia. 

Trump did not say whether he would agree to an interview with Mueller. Nor did he answer whether he would strip Mueller’s security clearance, which he did to Brennan last week following repeated criticism of himself.

Trump went after the Mueller probe on Twitter Monday.

‘Where’s the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!’ he wrote.

Trump charged the special counsel’s team with ‘looking for trouble’ and making up a ‘phony crime called collusion’ as his lawyers are realizing they don’t know what top White House lawyer Don McGahn told the investigation during 30 hours of testimony on the Russia probe.

Trump and his legal team have argued collusion is not a crime

Trump and his legal team have argued collusion is not a crime

Trump's legal team is said to have realized they don't know what White House counsel Don McGahn has told the Russia investigation

Trump’s legal team is said to have realized they don’t know what White House counsel Don McGahn has told the Russia investigation

President Donald Trump is charging the special counsel's team with 'looking for trouble'

President Donald Trump is charging the special counsel’s team with ‘looking for trouble’

The president has railed against the New York Times’ reporting on McGahn’s’ conversations with Mueller since a first story was published on his role Saturday.

In his repeated Twitter rants, Trump has claimed the story is a ‘fake piece’ of news, said McGahn had his permission to testify, and that his lawyer is not a rat who has turned as White House counsel John Dean did on President Nixon, and that the situation is worse than McCarthyism.

‘Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel, only with my approval, for purposes of transparency. Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone….,’ the president tweeted Monday morning.

‘….looking for trouble. They are enjoying ruining people’s lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side – the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Mueller’s Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!,’ he added.

‘Where’s the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!,’ Trump tweeted. 

 



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