Longtime Trump associate Roger Stone recommended President Trump not sit down for an interview with special council Robert Mueller, reiterating a warning of a possible “perjury trap” on the heels of a report that the president is in the early stages of preparing for such an interview.
“I think it’s very dangerous for the president to do so,” Stone told CNN host Anderson Cooper regarding a possible sit-down between Trump and Mueller.
Although Stone admitted he believed Mueller has a political bias, he said he didn’t believe that Mueller should be fired because it would ignite suspicion that Mueller had found evidence of collusion.
In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Trump ally Roger Stone warns the President against a sit-down interview with special counsel Robert Mueller, calling it a potential “perjury trap” https://t.co/dgs1UvFjC4 pic.twitter.com/vJ8mP8CS16
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) April 7, 2018
On multiple occasions, Mueller’s investigation has attracted ire from Trump. It was even reported that last year Trump ordered Mueller to be fired, but then backed off. Trump has also called the investigation a “witch hunt.”
Stone’s comments followed a CNN report that said that Trump and his legal team are laying the foundation for a potential interview with Mueller. The groundwork is still “in its infancy,” and it has yet to be determined if Trump would be interviewed under oath or not, sources told CNN.
Although Trump hasn’t agreed to sit down with Mueller, he signaled earlier this year he was “looking forward” to talking with Mueller.
Trump’s legal team in the past has warned against speaking to Mueller, due to concerns that Trump would misspeak and mislead investigators, according to the New York Times.
But White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said on Tuesday that there were talks between Trump and his lawyers about a meeting with Mueller.
“The president is working in conjunction with his legal team and making a determination,” Sanders said. “We’re continuing to be fully cooperative with the Office of the Special Counsel, and we’ll continue driving the same message that we’ve been driving for over a year, that there was no collusion.”
Mueller’s team is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin.
