President Donald Trump chastised ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos for “being a little wise guy” Friday when the journalist suggested Trump may have obstructed justice.
Stephanopoulos asked the president why he refused to be interviewed in person by Mueller and chose instead to provide written answers to Mueller’s questions.
“Because they were looking to get us for lies, for slight misstatements. I looked at what happened to people and it was very unfair, very, very unfair,” Trump responded. “They gave me questions, I answered them in writing.” (RELATED: AG Barr: Mueller Could Have Reached A Conclusion On Obstruction Of Justice)
“Not on obstruction,” Stephanopoulos said.
“Look, George, you’re being a little wise guy, which is typical for you,” Trump said. “It’s very simple. There was no crime. There was no collusion.”
Stephanopoulos also questioned Trump about former White House Counsel Don McGahn’s testimony to former special counsel Robert Mueller. The lawyer suggested that he was told to fire Mueller and provide misleading statements to his inquiry to alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump election campaign. Congress voted to hold McGhan in contempt when the lawyer refused to testify before the House Judiciary Committee.
President Donald Trump is interviewed by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, June 14, 2019. ABC News screenshot
“I was never going to fire Mueller. I never suggested firing Mueller,” Trump told Stephanopoulos. (RELATED: Trump Confirms That White House Counsel Don McGahn Will Step Down This Fall)
EXCLUSIVE: Pres. Trump tells @GStephanopoulos he never suggested firing special counsel Robert Mueller—and what ex-White House counsel Don McGahn told Mueller “doesn’t matter.” https://t.co/KcBTRmDQHH pic.twitter.com/wG3z1TqJIw
— ABC News (@ABC) June 14, 2019
“Why would Don McGahn lie — why would he lie under oath?” the journalist asked.
FBI Director Robert Mueller is sworn in to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing on “Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),” on Capitol Hill in Washington Sept. 17, 2008. REUTERS/Molly Riley
“Because he wanted to make himself look like a good lawyer,” Trump said. “Or he believed it because I would constantly tell anybody that would listen — including you, including the media — that Robert Mueller was conflicted. Robert Mueller had a total conflict of interest.”