President Donald Trump has denied reports that he tried to fire special counsel Robert Mueller last June, The Hill reports.
Thursday night, The New York Times published a report that found President Trump sought to fire Mueller, claiming that the special counsel was unfit for duty due to conflicts of interest.
Mueller, is of course, currently leading an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, with a special focus on whether or not the Trump campaign knew about or aided Russian interference.
The Times found that Trump ended up deciding not to fire Mueller when White House counsel Donald McGahn threatened to quit, hoping to use the threat to convince the president that firing Mueller would make him look guilty.
“Fake news. Fake news," Trump said of the report from Davos, Switzerland, where he is attending the World Economic Forum. "Typical New York Times. Fake stories." Trump told reporters on Friday.
Ty Cobb, a White House lawyer, declined to comment on whether the NYT report was true or not.
“We decline to comment out of respect for the Office of the Special Counsel and its process,” said Cobb.
New York Magazine reports that Fox News anchor Sean Hannity also initially dismissed the Times report as spurious live on air, saying, “The New York Times is trying to distract you. How many times has the New York Times and others gotten it wrong?”
However, after Fox News researchers confirmed the report, Hannity walked back his comments later on his show, “We have sources tonight confirming … that yeah, Donald Trump wanted to fire the special counsel for conflict. Does he not he not have the right to raise those questions?"
Many on the Hill speculated this week that Mueller's probe is winding down; the special counsel reportedly want to interview the president very soon.
On Wednesday, Trump stated that he'd be willing to be interviewed by Mueller under oath. But, according to CNN, Trump's attorney John Dowd shut that plan down — or at the very least, delayed it.
"I will make the decision on whether the president talks to the special counsel," Dowd said. "I have not made any decision yet. "
