Special Counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller, who is probing alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, wants to question President Donald Trump on the issue, a report has said.
The Washington Post , citing two people familiar with Mr. Mueller’s plans, said he was seeking to question Mr. Trump about his ousting of FBI director James Comey and National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. They told the newspaper that Mr. Trump’s attorneys have worked out terms for the President’s interview with Mr. Mueller’s team which could be presented to the special counsel “as soon as next week”.
“The President’s legal team hopes to provide Trump’s testimony in a hybrid form — answering some questions in a face-to-face interview and others in a written statement,” said The Post .
A day earlier, the U.S. Justice Department had confirmed that Attorney General Jeff Sessions was questioned by Mr. Mueller on his investigation on potential links between the Trump campaign and Russia in the presidential election.
Mr. Mueller has already interviewed several of the close aides and family members of Mr. Trump over the issue. Mr. Trump, earlier, had hinted that it “seems unlikely” that he would allow Mr. Mueller to “interview” him.
The White House reiterated on Wednesday that it would be cooperative with Mr. Mueller. “As we’ve said probably just about every day this year, that we’re going to be fully cooperative with the Special Counsel and we’re going to continue to do that throughout the process,” Ms. Sanders said when asked whether the President was open to being interviewed by Mueller. “But we’re also not going to comment on who may or may not, or could be interviewed at any point,” she said.
Ms. Sanders said Mr. Trump wants the controversy to come to an end.
CIA Director interviewed
Meanwhile, CIA Director Mike Pompeo has also been questioned by Mr. Mueller’s office, NBC News reported on Wednesday.
Mr. Mueller’s office also interviewed former FBI Director James Comey shortly after Mr. Trump fired Mr. Comey in May 2017, a person familiar with the matter has told Reuters. The firing led to Mr. Mueller’s appointment to take over the FBI’s Russia investigation.
Mr. Comey’s dismissal is central to the question of whether Mr. Trump may have committed obstruction of justice related to the Russia investigation.
NBC, citing people familiar with the inquiry, did not say when the interview with Mr. Pompeo occurred but said one person familiar with the inquiry called him a “peripheral witnesses” to Mr. Comey’s firing.
Representatives for the CIA said the U.S. intelligence agency had no comment on NBC’s report.
NBC also reported that former senior campaign aide and White House strategist Steve Bannon is expected to meet with Mr. Mueller’s team by the end of January. Mr. Bannon had earlier reached an agreement to be interviewed by Mr. Mueller’s investigators instead of appearing before a grand jury.
