Newsmax founder Chris Ruddy’s decision to say that President Trump is weighing firing special counsel Robert Mueller harmed Trump’s ability to fire him, a Trump confidant told The Daily Caller.
Ruddy, who is a friend of the president’s, said on PBS Monday, “I think [Trump is] considering perhaps terminating the special counsel…I personally think it would be a significant mistake.”
The Trump confidant told TheDC that this wording from Ruddy is clearly an attempt to convince the president that firing Mueller would be a poor decision. A New York Times report Tuesday also said: “Mr. Ruddy has told friends that he went public with the Mueller story, in part, to prevent Mr. Trump from making a rash decision.”
President Trump is known to value the element of surprise. He tweeted in 2013, “In war, the elememt[sic] of surprise is sooooo important.What the hell is Obama doing.” The Times report said that Trump considered firing Mueller, something TheDC’s source confirmed. The option is still on the table, but Ruddy’s move takes away the president’s element of surprise.
The president is reportedly angry about stories about close ties between Mueller and former FBI director James Comey.
Trump refused to respond to a reporter asking four times Tuesday whether he will fire Mueller, potentially trying to create some suspense. His spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, however, would later tell reporters the president “has no intention” to dismiss Mueller.