Robert Mueller made clear in the redacted version of his report that President Trump tried again and again to interfere with the Russia investigation by ordering the firing those in charge of the probe. The only reason his efforts were unsuccessful, Mueller said, is that “the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests.”
Trump’s takeaway: he still could have done so!
Some six hours after the report was released publicly, the President tweeted that he “could have fired everyone.”
“Donald Trump was being framed, he fought back. That is not Obstruction.” @JesseBWatters I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted. I chose not to. I had the RIGHT to use Executive Privilege. I didn’t!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2019
Among those the President wanted to get rid of: former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, former White House Counsel Don McGahn, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Mueller himself.
