President Donald Trump Prepared to Be Questioned by Robert Mueller
President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to be questioned under oath as part of an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
The president said he was “looking forward” to it, subject to the advice of his lawyers.
Investigators are assessing if the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the election in his favor – a claim denied by both Donald Trump and Russia.
Investigators will also determine if President Trump obstructed the inquiry.
The US intelligence community has already concluded that Russia tried to sway the presidential election in favor of Donald Trump.
He had previously said he thought an interview was unlikely because there had been no collusion
President Trump has called the Russia investigation a “witch hunt” and a “hoax”.
Speaking at the White House on January 24, President Trump maintained he was “absolutely” prepared to be questioned under oath by the top investigator.
He said: “There’s been no collusion whatsoever, there’s no obstruction whatsoever.”
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Donald Trump’s lawyers have been talking to the investigation team led by justice department special counsel Robert Mueller about an interview, and the form it might take.
The questioning could happen face-to-face, in writing, or it could be a combination of both.
As to when it might happen, President Trump said: “Yesterday they were talking about two to three weeks.”
Asked if he thought Robert Mueller would be fair, the president replied: “We are going to find out… I hope so.”
President Trump told reporters that his former rival Hillary Clinton was not prepared to be interviewed under oath by the FBI about her use of a private email server.
He also said he did not recall asking an acting FBI director about his voting record.
“I don’t think I did,” he said.
“I don’t know what’s the big deal with that.”
Andrew McCabe, who took over the FBI after the president fired its previous director, James Comey in May 2017, said he found President Trump’s Oval Office question “disturbing”.
Andrew McCabe said he told the president that he did not vote in the 2016 presidential election, according to the Washington Post.
Robert Mueller is thought to be investigating whether James Comey’s firing was an attempt to obstruct justice.
Las t week, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed by the Mueller inquiry for several hours.
Jeff Sessions is thought to be the first member of the Trump cabinet to be questioned.
Four people have already been criminally charged as part of Robert Mueller’s investigation.
Michael Flynn, President Trump’s former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about a meeting with a Russian ambassador.
Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort has been charged on 12 counts, including conspiring to defraud the US in his dealings with Ukraine, and conspiracy to launder money.
Paul Manafort’s business associate Rick Gates was also charged with conspiracy to launder money.
A third adviser to the campaign – George Papadopoulos – pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.