Trump's lawyers reportedly lack the security clearances needed to advise him on the Mueller probe
President Trump's legal team doesn't have the security clearances necessary for a possible interview between the president and Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigators, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that only John Dowd, Trump's former lead attorney, had security clearance that would allow him to sit in on any discussions regarding possible collusion and obstruction of justice. The special counsel's probe, which is investigating whether the Trump campaign played a role in Russian interference in the 2016 election, involves classified information, and none of Trump's current lawyers have been cleared to discuss it.
Dowd resigned from the president's legal team in March, reportedly because Trump wanted to sit down for an interview with Mueller and Dowd disagreed. Jay Sekulow, Trump's new lead lawyer in the Russia investigation, does not have security clearance for the role yet, reports Bloomberg.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
Mueller told Dowd that he would consider issuing a subpoena for the president to appear before a grand jury if Trump declined an interview, The Washington Post reported Tuesday. In an interview, Trump could bring his attorneys, but they would need full security clearance to hear classified information. If subpoenaed, he would not be allowed to bring a lawyer before a grand jury. Read more at Bloomberg.
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
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 2, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: November 2, 2024
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'
Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security law
Speed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitution
speed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas executes man despite contested evidence
Speed Read Texas rejected calls for a rehearing of Ivan Cantu's case amid recanted testimony and allegations of suppressed exculpatory evidence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court wary of state social media regulations
Speed Read A majority of justices appeared skeptical that Texas and Florida were lawfully protecting the free speech rights of users
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Greece legalizes same-sex marriage
Speed Read Greece becomes the first Orthodox Christian country to enshrine marriage equality in law
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump and his lawyer Alina Habba have a rough day in defamation court
Speed Read Trump's audible grousing as E. Jean Carroll testified earned him a warning he could be thrown out of court, and Habba showed she 'doesn't know what the hell she's doing'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Anders Breivik to testify in prison isolation lawsuit against Norway
Speed Read Far-right fanatic who killed 77 people in 2011 claims he has received 'inhuman treatment' in custody
By The Week UK Published