Washington: As Donald Trump’s lawyers continue to negotiate terms of an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller, the president’s allies are increasingly trying to warn him against it, using one of the few methods they have—television.
Trump’s longtime friends and advisers have grown increasingly concerned that a face-to-face interview with Mueller could derail his presidency and are hoping to catch the president’s ear during his hours of channel-surfing, said one such adviser. In recent weeks, Trump’s outside advisers have gone on Fox News, CNN, and ABC’s Good Morning America with almost identical talking points about the risks of a Mueller interview.
The renewed urgency comes after Trump told reporters last month he would “love to” speak to Mueller, a statement his lawyers later tried to soften as they continue discussing the terms for a possible interview. With chief of staff John Kelly trimming back access to Trump, those outside the West Wing have taken to television—and sometimes Twitter—as a main method of communication given the hours Trump spends with a TV on nearby.
The advice from Trump’s friends has been nearly unanimous against a face-to-face interview, with most advocating for some form of written response to questions. While his allies say they believe Trump has done nothing wrong, they question Mueller’s intentions and the voluble Trump’s ability to avoid unintentional misstatements that could be turned into a perjury charge.
http://en.brinkwire.com/136560/dona...-tv-to-warn-him-off-robert-mueller-interview/
Trump’s longtime friends and advisers have grown increasingly concerned that a face-to-face interview with Mueller could derail his presidency and are hoping to catch the president’s ear during his hours of channel-surfing, said one such adviser. In recent weeks, Trump’s outside advisers have gone on Fox News, CNN, and ABC’s Good Morning America with almost identical talking points about the risks of a Mueller interview.
The renewed urgency comes after Trump told reporters last month he would “love to” speak to Mueller, a statement his lawyers later tried to soften as they continue discussing the terms for a possible interview. With chief of staff John Kelly trimming back access to Trump, those outside the West Wing have taken to television—and sometimes Twitter—as a main method of communication given the hours Trump spends with a TV on nearby.
The advice from Trump’s friends has been nearly unanimous against a face-to-face interview, with most advocating for some form of written response to questions. While his allies say they believe Trump has done nothing wrong, they question Mueller’s intentions and the voluble Trump’s ability to avoid unintentional misstatements that could be turned into a perjury charge.
http://en.brinkwire.com/136560/dona...-tv-to-warn-him-off-robert-mueller-interview/
