“Source Worried Trump Would Have a ‘Meltdown’ if That Doesn’t Happen”
Multiple reports over the past 12 hours say President Donald Trump has no intention of firing Robert Mueller, the special counsel in charge of the Russia probe. One reason may be because, according to CNN, Trump thinks he will be fully exonerated and is looking forward to that day.
“Trump is boasting to friends and advisers that he expects Mueller to clear him of wrongdoing in the coming weeks, according to sources familiar with the conversations,” CNN reports.
“The President seems so convinced of his impending exoneration that he is telling associates Mueller will soon write a letter clearing him that Trump can brandish to Washington and the world in a bid to finally emerge from the cloud of suspicion that has loomed over the first chapter of his presidency, the sources said.”
In private conversations, Trump still speaks dismissively of the Russia investigation, referring to it as “bulls—” and proclaiming “I don’t know any Russians!” multiple sources told CNN.
But those outbursts are measured against Trump’s belief that the investigation will soon wrap up favorably. That rosy picture has buoyed Trump’s spirits in recent weeks, leaving him seemingly less frustrated and more even-keeled about the investigation even as Mueller’s team landed a guilty plea and the cooperation of one of the President’s former top advisers, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.
“The President’s mantra is ‘All this Russia stuff, it’s all going to wrap up soon.’ He repeats it as fact,” said one source who speaks to Trump. “Part of me is like — ‘Are you serious? You believe this?'”
The Washington Post adds that “Trump was asked Sunday whether he intended to fire Mueller. ‘No, I’m not,’ he told journalists, insisting that there was ‘no collusion whatsoever’ between his campaign and Russia.”
The president’s comments came a day after a lawyer representing Trump’s transition team accused Mueller of wrongfully obtaining thousands of emails sent and received by Trump officials before the start of his administration — a legal and public relations maneuver seen as possibly laying the groundwork to oust the special counsel.
But CNN also notes Trump’s “new approach has some allies worried he’s not taking the threat of the probe seriously enough.”
And while the Trump White House may think the Mueller investigation will soon be ending, most who are familiar with the investigation believe it’s just getting started. That may be because “Trump’s legal team has told the President he will likely be cleared of wrongdoing in the coming months.”
Interviews “with nearly three dozen White House officials, lawmakers, outside advisers, friends of the President and sources familiar with the Mueller probe,” depict “a president genuinely convinced of his innocence and advisers preparing for him to explode early next year if the probe doesn’t end as neatly as Trump expects.”
“The President’s mantra is ‘All this Russia stuff, it’s all going to wrap up soon.’ He repeats it as fact,” said one source who speaks to Trump. “Part of me is like — ‘Are you serious? You believe this?'”
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Three sources familiar with the President’s recent conversations about the investigation said Trump has become convinced that he will receive a letter of exoneration, which would be unusual. One source worried Trump would have a “meltdown” if that doesn’t happen.
“He’ll try and fire Mueller and then be impeached,” this person predicted.
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