President Trump
Donald John TrumpTrump to fundraise for 3 Republicans running for open seats: report Trump to nominate former Monsanto exec to top Interior position White House aides hadn’t heard of Trump's new tax cut: report MORE attempted to fire special counsel Robert Mueller
Robert Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe 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 KushnerCongress raises pressure on Saudi Arabia On The Money: Trump to seek new round of tax cuts after midterms | Mnuchin meets with Saudi crown prince | Trump threatens to cut foreign aid over caravan Kushner on working at the White House: I 'wouldn’t say' it’s 'fun' 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.
Rod Jay RosensteinConservatives fume over format of upcoming Rosenstein interview Papadopoulos set to testify before House lawmakers Rod Rosenstein has no conflict MORE, the Justice Department's second-highest official, and appointing Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand to oversee Mueller's team of prosecutors. This option also never materialized."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 WarnerDems can use subpoena power to reclaim the mantle of populism Is there a difference between good and bad online election targeting? Collusion judgment looms for key Senate panel 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.
