Following Donald Trump’s tweets Wednesday about the Mueller investigation, the chatter has gotten a lot louder over the status of an interview with the Special Counsel. Trump wants the investigation to end, but this interview could be one of the things preventing Mueller from wrapping up his inquiry. So, in essence, Trump and his attorney could be the ones prolonging this process.
President Donald Trump and his legal team are likely to decide whether to grant special counsel Robert Mueller an interview within a “week to 10 days,” Rudy Giuliani said Thursday https://t.co/BhIojLTb6i
— POLITICO (@politico) August 2, 2018
They have reportedly been in talks (negotiations) for eight months about this. The New York Times reports:
“President Trump pushed his lawyers in recent days to try once again to reach an agreement with the special counsel’s office about his sitting for an interview, flouting their advice that he should not answer investigators’ questions, three people briefed on the matter said on Wednesday.
Mr. Trump has told advisers he is eager to meet with investigators to clear himself of wrongdoing, the people said. In effect, he believes he can convince the investigators for the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, of his belief that their own inquiry is a ‘witch hunt.'”
Rudy Giuliani says talks with Mueller’s office is ongoing, but if it’s up to Trump’s lawyers this interview may never happen. CNBC points out:
“Giuliani said that he didn’t want to give reporters ‘hope’ that the interview would happen, but said that the president ‘has always been interested in testifying.’ He said that he, and the other attorneys representing the president, “have the most reservations.”
‘I don’t know if you find a lawyer on television that ever thinks their client should testify,’ Giuliani said.”
The avoidance of an interview is causing widespread speculation. If Trump has nothing to hide why isn’t he sitting down for the interview?
I’m shocked Trump’s lawyers still think he is too MENTALLY WEAK to sit man-to-man across the table with Robert Mueller.
I know Mueller the Marine hero is a St. Paul’s and Princeton man. But unlike Trump’s lawyers, I don’t think the former Fordham student is a dumb coward! SAD!!! https://t.co/hHZkmlWS35— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) August 2, 2018
Trump’s reported insistence on testifying to Mueller over the objection of his lawyers Is some of the strongest evidence we have of his mental deterioration. Within the first 15 minutes, he will either perjure himself or admit obstruction. Or both.
— Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) August 2, 2018
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal: The White House is moving the goalpost for a potential interview with Mueller, because “the President is a tinderbox of potential perjury.” https://t.co/c61sSjx4da pic.twitter.com/0WRkrfkIeR
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) August 2, 2018
"I have to tell you I think it extraordinarily unlikely the President will ever sit down for an interview with Bob Mueller's investigators … he [Mueller] knows the answers to the questions that he's going to ask" @glennkirschner2, fmr Asst. U.S. Attorney https://t.co/YlQQhhtRNc pic.twitter.com/I0tZssIb8Z
— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) August 2, 2018
Does ANYONE believe the latest media spin that Trump is pushing to talk to #Mueller against his lawyers' advice?
— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) August 2, 2018