Report: Trump ordered firing of Mueller, backed down after White House counsel threatened to quit
![Donald Trump.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R64KVZEwDGSCE5d8sQKgu7-415-80.jpg)
Last June, President Trump ordered the firing of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, but backed off after White House Counsel Don McGahn refused to ask for Mueller's dismissal and threatened to quit, four people with knowledge of the matter told The New York Times.
Mueller is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and whether Trump obstructed justice, and he learned about Trump's directive while interviewing current and former senior White House officials in recent months. McGahn, who also served as the Trump campaign's top attorney, told White House officials that if Mueller was fired, it would have a catastrophic effect on the presidency and would make people wonder if Trump was obstructing the investigation, the Times reports.
Trump told advisers and White House officials that he believed Mueller had three conflicts of interest that made him unqualified to serve as special counsel, the Times reports. Strike one was Mueller resigning his membership from the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, following a dispute over fees. Trump also took issue with Mueller working for the law firm that once represented his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Mueller being interviewed to return as FBI director one day before he was appointed special counsel. Trump's attorney, Ty Cobb, declined to comment to the Times. Read more about Trump's thoughts on Mueller, and his unsuccessful plan to dismiss Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, at The New York Times.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Today's political cartoons - July 26, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - campaign donations, yellow buses, and more
By The Week US Published
-
California orders mass dismantling of unhoused people's camps
Speed Read Gavin Newsom's move follows a Supreme Court ruling last month in favor of an Oregon city that ticketed people for sleeping outside
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
7 dreamy products to help you sleep better on vacation
The Week Recommends Don't snooze on these sleep aids
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Netanyahu makes controversial address
Speed Reads Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress denounced Gaza war protestors
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Speed Read Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published