Mueller reiterates 'we did not address collusion' as Trump tweets 'no collusion'

(Image credit: Saul Loeb / Getty Images)

published 24 July 2019

Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller during his opening statement before Congress previewed a "limited" testimony and offered a reminder that he did not address "collusion" during his report.

"We did not address collusion, which is not a legal term," Mueller said during his opening statement before the House Judiciary Committee. "Rather, we focused on whether the evidence was sufficient to charge any member of the campaign with taking part in a criminal conspiracy. It was not."

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Under questioning from Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Mueller also reiterated that he did not "totally exonerate" Trump, saying this is "not what the report said." These early remarks came after Trump tweeted about Mueller's testimony eight times prior to its start, including by writing, "NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION." Later in his testimony, Mueller rejected the idea that "collusion" and "conspiracy" are synonymous terms. Brendan Morrow

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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