This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/26/us/politics/trump-mueller-fired-special-counsel.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Did the President Order Mueller to Be Fired? ‘Fake News,’ Trump Says | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday denied that he had ordered the firing of Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel in the Russia probe, and called reports of the June incident “fake news.” | WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday denied that he had ordered the firing of Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel in the Russia probe, and called reports of the June incident “fake news.” |
| The New York Times reported Thursday evening that Mr. Trump ordered Donald F. McGahn II, his top White House lawyer, to dismiss Mr. Mueller just weeks after Mr. Mueller took over the Russia investigation. | The New York Times reported Thursday evening that Mr. Trump ordered Donald F. McGahn II, his top White House lawyer, to dismiss Mr. Mueller just weeks after Mr. Mueller took over the Russia investigation. |
| The president relented after Mr. McGahn refused to ask the Justice Department to fire Mr. Mueller and threatened to quit. | The president relented after Mr. McGahn refused to ask the Justice Department to fire Mr. Mueller and threatened to quit. |
| Mr. Trump responded to The Times report during a trip to Davos, Switzerland, where he is attending the World Economic Forum, a gathering of world leaders and global business executives. | Mr. Trump responded to The Times report during a trip to Davos, Switzerland, where he is attending the World Economic Forum, a gathering of world leaders and global business executives. |
| Upon arrival at the Congress Center in Davos, Mr. Trump was greeted by a scrum of the forum’s participants snapping cellphone photos and by a large group of reporters asking why he had ordered Mr. Mueller’s firing. | Upon arrival at the Congress Center in Davos, Mr. Trump was greeted by a scrum of the forum’s participants snapping cellphone photos and by a large group of reporters asking why he had ordered Mr. Mueller’s firing. |
| “Fake news, folks,” Mr. Trump replied. “Fake news. Typical New York Times fake story.” | “Fake news, folks,” Mr. Trump replied. “Fake news. Typical New York Times fake story.” |
| The Times report was based on four people who were told of the matter. On Thursday, Ty Cobb, who manages the White House relationship with Mr. Mueller’s office, declined to comment. | The Times report was based on four people who were told of the matter. On Thursday, Ty Cobb, who manages the White House relationship with Mr. Mueller’s office, declined to comment. |
| Some Democrats were outraged to learn the president had ordered the firing of Mr. Mueller last year, even if he eventually backed off. | Some Democrats were outraged to learn the president had ordered the firing of Mr. Mueller last year, even if he eventually backed off. |
| “I’ve said it before, and I am saying it again: firing the special counsel is a red line that the president cannot cross,” Senator Mark Warner, of Virginia, said on Thursday. Mr. Warner is the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is one of the congressional panels investigating the Trump campaign’s possible ties with Russia. | “I’ve said it before, and I am saying it again: firing the special counsel is a red line that the president cannot cross,” Senator Mark Warner, of Virginia, said on Thursday. Mr. Warner is the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is one of the congressional panels investigating the Trump campaign’s possible ties with Russia. |
| “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. | “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. |
| Some lawmakers were so concerned over the summer that Mr. Trump might move to fire Mr. Mueller that they introduced bills to shore up the special counsel’s job and protect it from political interference. | Some lawmakers were so concerned over the summer that Mr. Trump might move to fire Mr. Mueller that they introduced bills to shore up the special counsel’s job and protect it from political interference. |
| One measure, co-sponsored by Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, would require a judge’s review to ensure a special counsel is fired for cause and not for political reasons. | One measure, co-sponsored by Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, would require a judge’s review to ensure a special counsel is fired for cause and not for political reasons. |
| Another proposal, introduced by Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, would require a Senate-confirmed official at the Justice Department to discipline or fire a special counsel. That measure was introduced at a time when Mr. Trump had privately and publicly disparaged his attorney general, Jeff Sessions. Some feared Mr. Trump would fire top officials at the Justice Department until someone carried out his orders to fire the special counsel. | Another proposal, introduced by Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, would require a Senate-confirmed official at the Justice Department to discipline or fire a special counsel. That measure was introduced at a time when Mr. Trump had privately and publicly disparaged his attorney general, Jeff Sessions. Some feared Mr. Trump would fire top officials at the Justice Department until someone carried out his orders to fire the special counsel. |
| “This remarkable report makes scarily clear that we need this protection right away for the special counsel,” Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said Friday. “It’s necessary now to send a signal to the president that political interference and firing the special counsel simply is totally unacceptable, and there’s bipartisan unanimity that it would be unconscionable and unacceptable.” | “This remarkable report makes scarily clear that we need this protection right away for the special counsel,” Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said Friday. “It’s necessary now to send a signal to the president that political interference and firing the special counsel simply is totally unacceptable, and there’s bipartisan unanimity that it would be unconscionable and unacceptable.” |
| Mr. Blumenthal said that some Republican senators have told him they support such protections. He did not name them. | Mr. Blumenthal said that some Republican senators have told him they support such protections. He did not name them. |
| Even as some Republicans have tried to discredit the Russia inquiry, some senior Republicans have previously said that they would not support the firing of Mr. Mueller. | Even as some Republicans have tried to discredit the Russia inquiry, some senior Republicans have previously said that they would not support the firing of Mr. Mueller. |
| A spokesman for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, of Wisconsin, said on Friday that the speaker’s position has not changed since Mr. Ryan said in June that Mr. Mueller should be left alone to do his job. | A spokesman for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, of Wisconsin, said on Friday that the speaker’s position has not changed since Mr. Ryan said in June that Mr. Mueller should be left alone to do his job. |
| And a spokesman for Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said Mr. Cornyn still thinks it would be a “mistake” to fire the special counsel. | And a spokesman for Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said Mr. Cornyn still thinks it would be a “mistake” to fire the special counsel. |
| The June incident could emerge as an important part of Mr. Mueller’s probe, part of which is looking into whether Mr. Trump or anyone in the White House or associated with his campaign obstructed justice by trying to impede investigators looking into the possibility of campaign-related collusion with Russia. | The June incident could emerge as an important part of Mr. Mueller’s probe, part of which is looking into whether Mr. Trump or anyone in the White House or associated with his campaign obstructed justice by trying to impede investigators looking into the possibility of campaign-related collusion with Russia. |
| Mr. Trump’s order to fire Mr. Mueller came in the month after the president did fire the F.B.I. director James B. Comey, later citing the Russia probe as the reason for his decision. At the time, Mr. Comey was in charge of the F.B.I.’s investigation into collusion with Russia during the election. The firing of Mr. Comey in May directly led to Mr. Mueller’s appointment. | Mr. Trump’s order to fire Mr. Mueller came in the month after the president did fire the F.B.I. director James B. Comey, later citing the Russia probe as the reason for his decision. At the time, Mr. Comey was in charge of the F.B.I.’s investigation into collusion with Russia during the election. The firing of Mr. Comey in May directly led to Mr. Mueller’s appointment. |
| Mr. Trump’s denial of the June incident echoes repeated statements by the president and other White House officials that Mr. Trump had never considered firing the special prosecutor. | Mr. Trump’s denial of the June incident echoes repeated statements by the president and other White House officials that Mr. Trump had never considered firing the special prosecutor. |
| “I haven’t given it any thought,” Mr. Trump told reporters in August. “Well, I’ve been reading about it from you people. You say, oh, I’m going to dismiss him. No, I’m not dismissing anybody.” | “I haven’t given it any thought,” Mr. Trump told reporters in August. “Well, I’ve been reading about it from you people. You say, oh, I’m going to dismiss him. No, I’m not dismissing anybody.” |
| John Dowd, the president’s personal lawyer, said that same month that firing Mr. Mueller has “never been on the table, never.” | John Dowd, the president’s personal lawyer, said that same month that firing Mr. Mueller has “never been on the table, never.” |
| But four people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be identified discussing a continuing investigation, said Mr. Trump ordered the firing, citing what he believed were three reasons that Mr. Mueller has a conflict of interest that should prevent him from leading the Russia investigation. | But four people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be identified discussing a continuing investigation, said Mr. Trump ordered the firing, citing what he believed were three reasons that Mr. Mueller has a conflict of interest that should prevent him from leading the Russia investigation. |
| Those included claims about a disputed payment of fees by Mr. Mueller at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va.; the fact that Mr. Mueller worked at the same law firm that represented the president’s son-in-law; and Mr. Mueller’s interview with the president to be F.B.I. director before he was appointed to be the special counsel. | Those included claims about a disputed payment of fees by Mr. Mueller at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va.; the fact that Mr. Mueller worked at the same law firm that represented the president’s son-in-law; and Mr. Mueller’s interview with the president to be F.B.I. director before he was appointed to be the special counsel. |