President Donald Trump on Thursday morning once again dismissed the Russia investigation as a “phony story” and blasted federal investigators as “bad and conflicted people” after a report said special counsel Robert Mueller is examining whether the president attempted to obstruct justice.
Trump has repeatedly lambasted the Russia probe as a “witch hunt,” using the phrase in at least eight tweets since March.
I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2017
Despite the phony Witch Hunt going on in America, the economic & jobs numbers are great. Regulations way down, jobs and enthusiasm way up!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2017
You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history – led by some very bad and conflicted people! #MAGA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
Mueller has requested interviews with senior intelligence officials about their conversations with Trump in an effort to investigate possible obstruction of justice, a former senior intelligence official with knowledge of the discussions confirmed to NBC News.
The Washington Post was first to report the news. Those who have agreed to be interviewed include Dan Coats, director of national intelligence; Mike Rogers, chief of the National Security Agency; and Richard Ledgett, who recently left his post as deputy to Rogers. Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump’s personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, criticized the Post report: “The FBI leak of information regarding the president is outrageous, inexcusable and illegal.” The report in the Post cited anonymous sources who had been briefed on requests made by Mueller’s investigators. It was not known whether the FBI was the source of the information in the report. At the end of an executive order signing Thursday afternoon, Trump ignored shouted questions about whether he was under investigation.
