President Trump warned special counsel Robert Mueller from investigating his family’s finances beyond the scope of the probe into ties between his administration and Russia in an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday.
“I think that’s a violation. Look, this is about Russia,” Trump told the Times.
Trump during the interview said he wasn’t ruling out firing Mueller as special counsel on the probe into Russian meddling in the presidential election.
{mosads}He did not say that he would order the Justice Department to fire Mueller or under what circumstances he would fire him, but he indicated Mueller investigating his family’s finances would cross a line.
A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment.
Trump also noted he previously interviewed Mueller to replace James Comey as FBI director shortly before he was named special counsel.
Trump also said Mueller’s office had several conflicts of interest, including Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Trump said Rosenstein was playing both sides in Trump’s decision to fire Comey by recommending the firing but then appointing Mueller as special counsel.
“Well, that’s a conflict of interest,” Trump said. “Do you know how many conflicts of interests there are?”
Reports emerged last month that Trump was considering firing Mueller, drawing criticism from both Democrat and Republican lawmakers. The White House pushed back against those reports, saying Trump had “no intention” of firing the special counsel.