Trump declares he could 'run' the Mueller probe if he wanted to
President Trump told Reuters on Monday that he is "totally allowed" to be involved with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, but has "decided to stay out."
He added, "As you know, I can go in, and I could do whatever — I could run it if I want." Mueller's team is also investigating whether Trump's campaign coordinated with any Russians and if Trump has obstructed justice. Trump echoed concerns made by his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, who said he's worried investigators will take Trump's statements and compare them to others who have already been interviewed, like former FBI Director James Comey. "Even if I am telling the truth, that makes me a liar," Trump said. "That's no good."
Trump did not tell Reuters if he will ever agree to sit down for an interview with Mueller or his investigators, and would not say if he might revoke Mueller's security clearance, like he did last week to John Brennan, the former CIA director and one of Trump's most vocal critics.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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