President Trump
Donald John TrumpFive takeaways from the vice presidential debate Harris accuses Trump of promoting voter suppression Pence targets Biden over ISIS hostages, brings family of executed aid worker to debate MORE attempted to fire special counsel Robert Mueller
Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE last summer but was stopped after White House counsel Don McGahn threatened to resign, according to a new report.
The New York Times reports Trump ordered Mueller to be fired in June, according to four people with knowledge of the matter.
Trump reportedly said Mueller had conflicts of interest in his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, including a dispute over fees at Trump’s National Golf Club in Virginia and Mueller’s previous employment at a law firm that represent Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner
Jared Corey KushnerDoctors, White House staff offer conflicting messages on president's health Trump's COVID-19 case draws new attention to handling of pandemic Trump children call their father a 'warrior' amid COVID-19 diagnosis MORE, according to the Times.
However, McGahn reportedly refused the president's order and threatened to quit, believing that Trump's order would further stir speculation that the president was obstructing justice in the Russia investigation.
"There’s been no collusion whatsoever. There’s no obstruction whatsoever, and I’m looking forward to it," Trump said.
The president also acknowledged at the time that whether he speaks to investigators would depend on the advice of his lawyers.
“You know, again, it’s ... subject to my lawyers and all of that — but I would love to do it,” he said.
Democratic lawmakers seized on the report Thursday night that Trump attempted to fire Mueller, warning against any attempts to obstruct justice.
“I’ve said it before, and I am saying it again: firing the Special Counsel is a red line that the President cannot cross," Sen. Mark Warner
Mark Robert WarnerHillicon Valley: Congressional antitrust report rips tech firms | Facebook tightens ban on QAnon content | Social media groups urged to weed out disinformation targeting minority voters Officials urge social media groups to weed out election disinformation targeting minority voters Facebook tightens ban on QAnon content MORE (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement responding to the Times report.
"Any attempt to remove the Special Counsel, pardon key witnesses, or otherwise interfere in the investigation, would be a gross abuse of power, and all members of Congress, from both parties, have a responsibility to our Constitution and to our country to make that clear immediately," he said.
Updated: 9:26 p.m.