Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has been privately telling people that he’s prepared to be fired by President Trump, NBC News reported Friday.
Trump has reportedly been considering firing the No. 2 official at the Justice Department.
Sources told NBC News that Rosenstein is relatively calm and preparing for the possibility that Trump decides to dismiss him.
He has reportedly used the phrase “Here I stand” during conversations with others, referring to Martin Luther’s famous quote, “Here I stand, I can do no other.”
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Sources said that Rosenstein is at peace with his work and that history will vindicate his decisions, including the choice to write a memo that led to the firing of former FBI Director James Comey.
CNN reported last week that Trump was considering firing Rosenstein in response to the FBI raid on his personal lawyer Michael Cohen’s office, residence and hotel room. Rosenstein personally signed off on the raid.
The deputy attorney general is the only individual with the power to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, which Trump is also reportedly considering doing. Rosenstein is currently overseeing Mueller’s probe after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation into Russian election interference. Most observers speculate that Rosenstein would refuse to fire Mueller if Trump asked.
Trump and Rosenstein met in the White House Thursday for what was reportedly a regularly scheduled visit.