Trump Willing to Go Under Oath in Interview With Mueller
United States President Donald J. Trump is looking forward to going under oath during his interview with special counsel Robert Mueller regarding allegations of colluding with Russia.
Last Wednesday, Trump told reporters at the White House that he is "looking forward" to be interviewed by Mueller regarding the controversy of whether there was collusion with Russia in the 2016 presidential elections, CNN reports.
"Here is the story: There has been no collusion whatsoever. There is no obstruction whatsoever. And I am looking forward to it," said Trump.
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However, the U.S. president clarified that even though he looks forward to talking with Mueller, it would be subject to his legal council's decision. Trump also wanted to emphasize that people might mistake his resistance to the investigation as "obstruction of justice."
But later on, Trump revealed that he's even willing to go under oath in the interview with Mueller. Details of the interview are still being discussed by both Mueller's team and Trump's personal lawyers.
It appears that Trump is going back-and-forth on whether to push through with the interview with Mueller.
Previously, President Trump tried to deflect the notion of being interviewed by Mueller for the investigations of collusion with Russia. When he was asked about submitting himself to the interview last month, Trump said that it might not be necessary.
"I'll see what happens. But when they have no collusion – and nobody has found any collusion at any level – it seems unlikely that you would even have an interview," the U.S. president said.
But prior to that statement, Trump already affirmed that he was "100%" willing to be interviewed by Mueller.
According to TIME, it's best for the White House if they let Trump take the interview because it might lead to a grand jury if they don't. This is because Trump's lawyers can offer counsel to the U.S. president during the interview, as opposed to a grand jury, where his lawyers aren't allowed to be present.
Solomon Wisenberg, the deputy independent counsel who questioned former President Bill Clinton in a grand jury for the Whitewater investigation, agrees that Trump is better off accommodating the interview.
"If you're Trump's legal team, you cooperate and you sit in for the interview and you show that you're cooperating," Wisenberg confirmed.
