Reports: Bannon Wants Trump To Undermine Mueller Without Firing Him
- 7 years ago
Steve Bannon is said to be urging President Trump to take a more hardline stance against special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation into Russia’s election meddling.
Steve Bannon is said to be urging President Trump to take a more hardline stance against special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation into Russia's election meddling.
Politico is reporting, based on inside sources, that the former White House chief strategist has suggested defunding the probe as a way to limit it instead of firing Mueller which even many Republicans would likely oppose.
The publication also says, citing sources, that Trump had considered dismissing Mueller soon after he was appointed in May but did not follow through, perhaps due to warnings from his lawyers and other members of the GOP.
According to CNN, this group of more moderate insiders, including White House attorney Ty Cobb and chief of staff John Kelly, have supported the president's full cooperation in the probe as a way to speed up its conclusion.
However, the lack of results from this approach has reportedly prompted Bannon to talk to Trump about being more aggressive including, as CNN says, "to get Republicans to cut funding, publicly debate Mueller's mandate and slow down document production in court."
While it is unknown if Trump will eventually veer towards a more combative approach, his team has been speaking out, denying that Mueller or his investigation is vulnerable.
Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters during Monday's briefing, "The President said last week -- I believe it was last week -- and I've said it several times before, there is no intention or plan to make any changes in regards to the special counsel."
"The president is not interfering with special counsel Mueller's position," Trump's lawyer Jay Sekulow told CNN's Wolf Blitzer the same day. "He's not firing the special counsel, he's said that before."
There has been renewed speculation about Mueller and his investigation after indictments for former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his associate Richard Gates were announced on Monday.
Steve Bannon is said to be urging President Trump to take a more hardline stance against special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation into Russia's election meddling.
Politico is reporting, based on inside sources, that the former White House chief strategist has suggested defunding the probe as a way to limit it instead of firing Mueller which even many Republicans would likely oppose.
The publication also says, citing sources, that Trump had considered dismissing Mueller soon after he was appointed in May but did not follow through, perhaps due to warnings from his lawyers and other members of the GOP.
According to CNN, this group of more moderate insiders, including White House attorney Ty Cobb and chief of staff John Kelly, have supported the president's full cooperation in the probe as a way to speed up its conclusion.
However, the lack of results from this approach has reportedly prompted Bannon to talk to Trump about being more aggressive including, as CNN says, "to get Republicans to cut funding, publicly debate Mueller's mandate and slow down document production in court."
While it is unknown if Trump will eventually veer towards a more combative approach, his team has been speaking out, denying that Mueller or his investigation is vulnerable.
Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters during Monday's briefing, "The President said last week -- I believe it was last week -- and I've said it several times before, there is no intention or plan to make any changes in regards to the special counsel."
"The president is not interfering with special counsel Mueller's position," Trump's lawyer Jay Sekulow told CNN's Wolf Blitzer the same day. "He's not firing the special counsel, he's said that before."
There has been renewed speculation about Mueller and his investigation after indictments for former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his associate Richard Gates were announced on Monday.