Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy: Trump is Thinking About ‘Terminating’ Special Counsel Robert Mueller
Chris Ruddy to @JudyWoodruff: President Trump is considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller, who he considered for another position. pic.twitter.com/X4IIHlh8at
— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) June 12, 2017
Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy was spotted at the White House today, and he’s now saying that President Donald Trump told him he might get rid of the man leading the special investigation into Russia’s efforts to interfere with the 2016 election.
Ruddy is a known confidante of the president, and he told Judy Woodruff on PBS NewsHour that Trump is “considering perhaps terminating” Robert Mueller as special counsel. Ruddy expressed that there’s no need for a special counsel to examine whether anyone on Trump’s team coordinated with Russia, though Ruddy said that firing Mueller would be a “very significant mistake.”
Ruddy said Mueller’s special counsel status entails a “conflict” since Trump previously spoke with Mueller about nominating him for a government position. Trump recently announced that he will nominate former Assistant Attorney General Christopher Wray to be the new head of the FBI.
“My position is that Mueller is a man of integrity,” Ruddy said. “But we all know in the history of these special investigations they go far and wide, and they go beyond what the original jurisdiction was.”
Watch above, via PBS.
UPDATE – 8:05 p.m. EST: CNN’s Jim Acosta reports that Trump is speaking with his advisers about whether to fire Mueller.
Source close to Trump says the president "is being advised by many people" NOT to fire special prosecutor Robert Mueller.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 12, 2017
UPDATE – 9:25 p.m. EST: Ruddy has spoken to Fox’s Ed Henry, saying Trump is “definitely considering” firing Mueller, even if they did not speak to each other about that particular matter.
Chris Ruddy to Fox on possible Mueller firing: "While I am not claiming the President said it to me, I am confident of my sourcing." (1/2)
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) June 13, 2017
More Ruddy to Fox, claiming POTUS mulling Mueller firing: "He is definitely considering it as an option." (2/2)
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) June 13, 2017
UPDATE – 11:00 p.m. EST: Press Secretary Sean Spicer gave a brief comment to reporters about Ruddy’s comments.
Spicer on Chris Ruddy claiming Trump thinking about axing Mueller pic.twitter.com/wLFq4PFEwc
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) June 13, 2017
[Image via screengrab]
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