In a foreboding line presumably meant for the very man responsible for investigating his Russia scandal, Trump issued a message to special counsel Robert Mueller.
“All Americans deserve accountability and respect –– and that is what we are giving them. So tonight, I call on the Congress to empower every Cabinet secretary with the authority to reward good workers and to remove federal employees who undermine the public trust or fail the American people,” he said.
While Trump has claimed that he has no intention of firing the special counselor, new details of his prior efforts to fire him have rocked the nation.
According to four sources close to the situation, President Donald Trump ordered the firing of Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller back in June, only one month after he was appointed to investigate the Trump-Russia conspiracy and possible obstruction of justice, exemplified in Trump’s firing of former FBI director James Comey.
Trump only held back when White House Counsel Don McGahn threatened to resign if the president fired Mueller.
In recent months, Mueller’s interviews with White House officials revealed that Trump very nearly had him dismissed, hoping to cite a tepid accusations of conflicts of interest.
According to The New York Times:
[Don McGahn] also told senior White House officials that firing Mr. Mueller would have a catastrophic effect on Mr. Trump’s presidency and would incite more questions about whether the White House was trying to obstruct the Russia investigation. Mr. McGahn also told White House officials that Mr. Trump would not follow through on the dismissal on his own. The president then backed off.
Trump may feel satisfied lobbing subtle threats at the special counselor, but perhaps he should bite his tongue with impeachment proceedings on the horizon.
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