Rudy Giuliani said President Donald Trump will not answer any questions — in person or written — from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation concerning possible obstruction of justice, the Associated Press reported late Thursday.
“That’s a no-go. That is not going happen. There will be no questions at all on obstruction.” Rudy Giuliani
The remarks from Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, are the most adamant rejection yet of one of Mueller’s potential lines of questioning in his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.
Mueller reportedly wants to ask Trump if his firing of former FBI Director James Comey and his critical comments against Attorney General Jeff Sessions were meant to undermine the investigation.
Trump’s lawyers and Mueller’s investigators have been negotiating terms for a possible interview with the president for months. In July, Trump’s legal team said it was open to Trump answering questions about collusion with Russia, but not about obstruction. There had been speculation that they could conceivably be open to Trump answering obstruction questions, but only in written form.
Trump has said he’s eager to talk to investigators, but Trump’s lawyers are said to worry that obstruction questions could become a “perjury trap” that could open the president to impeachment if he does not tell the truth.
Last month, Giuliani said Trump would not sit for an interview after Sept. 1, a deadline which has come and gone.
Mueller could also subpoena Trump, which would set up an epic legal showdown likely headed for the U.S. Supreme Court.
