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Watch Trump insist he never gave ‘any thought’ to firing Mueller

His statement came two months after he reportedly ordered the White House counsel to fire Mueller.

Special counsel Robert Mueller (L) arrives at the U.S. Capitol for closed meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee June 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Special counsel Robert Mueller (L) arrives at the U.S. Capitol for closed meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee June 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

On Thursday night, the New York Times reported that President Trump tried to fire special counsel Robert Mueller last June. Trump ordered White House counsel Donald F. McGahn to oust Mueller, but backed down when McGahn threatened to resign.

Trump, however, has publicly denied even considering firing Mueller.

At a press briefing from his New Jersey golf club on August 10, 2017, Trump was asked if he had ever “thought about or considered” firing Mueller. “I haven’t given it any thought,” Trump responded.

Watch (starting at 14:19):

If the New York Times report is true, this was a lie. Just two months prior to this press conference, he had ordered Mueller fired.

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Trump’s top aides made similar denials. In an August 6 interview on ABC News, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway was asked if Trump was committed to not firing Mueller. “The president has not even discussed that… he has not discussed firing Bob Mueller,” Conway said.

Watch (starting at 14:57):

This was also a lie if the New York Times report is true.

In an interview with USA Today on August 8, Trump lawyer John Dowd said firing Mueller has “never been on the table, never.” Dowd added that the idea that Trump would try to fire Mueller was simply a “manifestation of the media.”