Trump authorized White House staff to cooperate with Mueller

World
Europe

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he had authorized White House Counsel Don McGahn and other staffers to "fully cooperate" with the investigation into alleged collusion between his campaign and Moscow.

Media: A stain on Trump's presidency

Trump's remarks came after The New York Times (NYT) reported that McGahn had "cooperated extensively" with the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, taking part in at least three interviews with investigators totaling 30 hours.

File photo of Don McGahn /VCG Photo

"I allowed White House Counsel Don McGahn, and all other requested members of the White House Staff, to fully cooperate with the Special Counsel," Trump tweeted.

"In addition we readily gave over one million pages of documents. Most transparent in history. No Collusion, No Obstruction. Witch Hunt!"

Trump views the investigation headed by special counsel Robert Mueller as a stain on his presidency, and has repeatedly pushed for it to be ended, AFP reported.

The NYT reported that McGahn had provided "detailed accounts" about episodes relating to whether Trump sought to obstruct justice, citing a dozen current and former officials and other sources.

The information McGahn provided included the president's attempts to fire the special counsel, and Trump's comments and actions during his firing of FBI director James Comey, according to the NYT.

The newspaper said it was unclear whether Trump knew the extent of McGahn's cooperation, noting that it is rare for a lawyer be so open with investigators.

Don McGahn speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, Maryland, February 22, 2018. /VCG Photo

Source: Trump not worried

A source close to the president told Reuters on Saturday the extent of McGahn's cooperation was "a tactical or strategic mistake" instigated by Trump’s first legal team and it should not have been allowed to happen because McGahn should have been covered by executive privilege. The person also said Trump is not worried because he does not feel he did anything wrong.

One lawyer familiar with the matter said McGahn could have been subpoenaed to testify to the grand jury if he did not cooperate with Mueller voluntarily and might have lost legal battles if he tried to invoke executive privilege.

Don McGahn escorts Supreme Court Justice nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh to a meeting with Sen. Joe Donnelly in Washington, August 15, 2018. /VCG Photo

Trump's former personal lawyer, John Dowd, told Reuters on Saturday he was aware McGahn had spoken extensively with Mueller’s team.

Rudy Giuliani, who joined the president's outside legal team after Dowd resigned, told Reuters on Saturday that Trump's lawyers had been in contact with McGahn's counsel after he was interviewed and possessed "emails that say he provided nothing that was damaging or incriminating to the president."

Giuliani said McGahn's cooperation with Mueller was part of a legal strategy. As an officer of the court, he added, McGahn would have had to resign if he thought the president did anything illegal.

Giuliani said he did not believe McGahn was cooperating against the president, noting Trump's lawyers and McGahn's have a joint defense agreement that would have otherwise ended.

(Cover: White House Counsel Don McGahn attends US President Donald Trump's remarks about prescription drug prices at the White House in Washington, May 11, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP ,Reuters