Trump asked witnesses about their testimony to Mueller’s Russia probe, ignoring lawyers’ warnings: New York Times
Trump tried unsuccessfully to get White House lawyer Donald McGhan to issue a statement denying aspects of his reported testimony, newspaper reports
The US special counsel in the Russian election meddling investigation has learned of two conversations in which President Donald Trump asked witnesses about matters discussed with investigators, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
The newspaper, which cited three unidentified people familiar with the matter, said Trump told an aide that White House counsel Donald McGahn should issue a statement denying a New York Times article in January that said McGahn told investigators the president had once asked him to fire special counsel Robert Mueller.
Trump also asked his former chief of staff, Reince Priebus, how his interview with the special counsel investigators had gone and whether they had been “nice.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Times story, in which the newspaper said Trump had ignored lawyers’ advice to do nothing that would given the impression of interfering in Mueller’s work.
Russia denies the allegations and Trump says there was no collusion between Moscow and his campaign.
Mueller also has been investigating whether the president has attempted to obstruct the probe, including whether he fired former FBI Director James Comey to undermine it. The Times report referenced the obstruction investigation with regard to Trump’s interactions with McGahn and Priebus.
Mueller has charged several Trump associates and more than a dozen Russians.
