Advertisement

Trump is mad that Mueller is testifying ‘again’

It's actually the special counsel's first time answering questions about his report publicly.

Trump incorrectly complains about Mueller testifying 'again'
Trump incorrectly complains about special counsel Robert Mueller testifying 'again' before Congress. (Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump on Tuesday lamented special counsel Robert Mueller’s upcoming testimony before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees later this month, incorrectly stating that Mueller had appeared before them previously and demanding lawmakers move on from the nearly two-year long investigation.

“Robert Mueller is being asked to testify yet again,” Trump tweeted. “He said he could only stick to the Report, & that is what he would and must do. After so much testimony & total transparency, this Witch Hunt must now end. No more Do Overs. No Collusion, No Obstruction. The Great Hoax is dead!”

Mueller has not yet answered questions publicly about the findings contained in his 400-plus page final report on that investigation, which focused on Russian interference in the 2016 election. His testimony, scheduled for July 17, will be the first time he takes questions about those findings.

In May, Mueller addressed reporters in a televised press conference to reiterate the report’s conclusions and to restate that his office had not cleared the president of any wrongdoing, directly contradicting the narrative out of White House, which has insisted Mueller’s report was a total and complete exoneration.

Advertisement

“If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so,” Mueller said at the time.

Mueller’s report outlined at least 10 instances of possible obstruction involving Trump and detailed the extensive ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though he did not refer any indictments against the president, Mueller stated both in his report and his press conference that he declined to do so in accordance with current Justice Department policy, which bars a sitting president from being charged with a crime, noting that Congress had the authority to pursue further steps.

Since then, House Democrats have attempted to pick up where the special counsel left off, issuing multiple subpoenas to Trump associates for additional information and testimony.

The House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees subpoenaed Mueller’s testimony last month, which will allow the special counsel to repeat his findings before the larger American public.

“Americans have demanded to hear directly from the Special Counsel so they can understand what he and his team examined, uncovered, and determined about Russia’s attack on our democracy, the Trump campaign’s acceptance and use of that help, and President Trump and his associates’ obstruction of the investigation into that attack,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff stated on June 25.

Advertisement

Trump, meanwhile, has rejected calls for Mueller to testify, and has urged his associates not to comply with similar subpoenas for documents or to testify before Congress.

“Democrats continue to look for a do-over on the Mueller Report and will stop at nothing to distract the American people from the great accomplishments of this Administration!” he tweeted last month.

Two weeks later, he again tweeted, “No Collusion, No Obstruction! Robert Mueller said he was done after his last 9 minute news conference, as later corrected. Now the Dems want to give it another try. Does it ever end?”