Trump legal team responds to Mueller's request for interview
President Trump's legal team urges the special counsel to wrap up the investigation; chief White House correspondent John Roberts reports.
President Trump’s legal team said Wednesday they have responded to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s request for an interview with the president as part of the probe into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
"We have responded in writing to the latest proposal from the Office of Special Counsel regarding its request to interview the President,” said Jay Sekulow, an attorney for the president. “It is not appropriate, at this time, to comment publicly about the content of that response."
Rudy Giuliani, another lawyer for Trump, in a statement reiterated calls to end the Russia probe.
"Millions of pages of documents along with testimony from dozens of witnesses have been provided,” he said. “We're re-stating what we have been saying for months: it is time for the Office of Special Counsel to conclude its inquiry without further delay."
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Sources have told Fox News that the letter would largely turn down any Trump-Mueller meeting that would include any questions related to obstruction of justice.
Earlier Monday, Giuliani would not go into the details of their offer, but he told Fox News: “It’s not a refusal, but at the same time, it’s not a completely unreasonable position. I can see a way in which [Mueller] may agree with it.”
Giuliani acknowledged that Mueller could try to subpoena the president if an agreement for an interview cannot be worked out. The president’s attorneys have repeatedly stated that they will fight any attempt to subpoena Trump.
Talks between Trump’s lawyers and the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election have restarted in recent days, and it is not clear a deal will be struck.
Trump has publicly expressed a desire to be interviewed, but his lawyers have repeatedly objected to the investigators’ proposals.
Trump attorneys say both sides have exchanged proposals for conditions for such a Trump interview.
The negotiations come amid a backdrop of Trump’s escalating attacks on the probe, including his blunt declaration that his attorney general should terminate the probe “right now.”
Trump has also assailed the trial, just underway, of his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort by the special counsel’s team.
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