On June 8, 2017, Corney testified before Congress about his interactions with the President
before his termination, including the request for loyalty, the request that Corney " let[] Flynn go,"
and the request that Corney "lift the cloud" over the presidency caused by the ongoing
investigation.544 Corney's testimony led to a series of news reports about whether the President
had obstructedjustice.545 On June 9, 2017, the Special Counsel's Office informed the White House
Counsel's Office that investigators intended to interview intelligence community officials who had
allegedly been asked by the President to push back against the Russia investigation.546
On Monday, June 12, 2017, Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive ofNewsmax Media
and a longtime friend of the President's, met at the White House with Priebus and Bannon.547
Ruddy recalled that they told him the President was strongly considering firing the Special Counsel
and that he would do so precipitously, without vetting the decision through Administration
officials.548 Ruddy asked Priebus if Ruddy could talk publicly about the discussion they had about
the Special Counsel, and Priebus said he could.549 Priebus told Ruddy he hoped another blow up
like the one that followed the termination of Corney did not happen.550 Later that day, Ruddy
stated in a televised interview that the President was "considering perhaps terminating the Special
Counsel" based on purported conflicts of interest.551 Ruddy later told another news outlet that
"Trump is definitely considering" terminating the Special Counsel and "it's not something that's
being dismissed."552 Ruddy's comments led to extensive coverage in the media that the President
was considering firing the Special Counsel.553
White House officials were unhappy with that press coverage and Ruddy heard from
friends that the President was upset with him.554 On June 13, 2017, Sanders asked the President
for guidance on how to respond to press inquiries about the possible firing of the Special
Counsel.555
The President dictated an answer, which Sanders delivered, saying that " [w]hile the
president has every right to" fire the Special Counsel, "he has no intention to do so."556
Also on June 13, 2017, the President's personal counsel contacted the Special Counsel's
Office and raised concerns about possible conflicts.557 The President's counsel cited Mueller's
previous partnership in his law firm, his interview for the FBI Director position, and an asserted
personal relationship he had with Comey.558 That same day, Rosenstein had testified publicly
before Congress and said he saw no evidence of good cause to terminate the Special" Counsel,
including for conflicts of interest. 559 Two days later, on June 15, 2017, the Special Office
Office informed the Acting Attorney General's office about the areas of concern raised by the
President's counsel and told the President's counsel that their concerns had been communicated to
Rosenstein so that the Department of Justice could take any appropriate action.560
- The Press Reports that the President is Being Investigated for Obstruction of Justice and the President Directs the White House Counsel to Have the Special Counsel Removed
On the evening of June l 4, 20 l 7, the Washington Post published an article stating that the
Special Counsel was investigating whether the President had attempted to obstructjustice.561 This
was the first public report that the President himself was under investigation by the Special
Counsel's Office, and cable news networks quickly picked up on the report.562 The Post story
stated that the Special Counsel was interviewing intelligence community leaders, including Coats
and Rogers, about what the President had asked them to do in response to Corney's March 20,
20 l 7 testimony; that the inquiry into obstruction marked "a major turning point" in the
investigation; and that while "Trump had received private assurances from then-FBI Director
James B. Corney starting in January that he was not personally under investigation," "[ o ]fficials
say that changed shortly after Corney's firing."563 That evening, at approximately l 0:3 l p.m., the
President called McGahn on McGahn' s personal cell phone and they spoke for about l 5
minutes.564 McGahn did not have a clear memory of the call but thought they might have discussed
the stories reporting that the President was under investigation.565
Beginning early the next day, June 15, 2017, the President issued a series of tweets
acknowledging the existence of the obstruction investigation and criticizing it. He wrote: "They
made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for
obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice";566 "You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH
HUNT in American political history-led by some very bad and conflicted people!";567 and
"Crooked H destroyed phones w/ hammer, 'bleached' emails, & had husband meet w/AG days
before she was cleared- & they talk about obstruction?"568 The next day, June 16, 2017, the
President wrote additional tweets criticizing the investigation: "After 7 months of investigations
& committee hearings about my ' collusion with the Russians,' nobody has been able to show any
proof. Sad!";569 and "I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me
to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt."570
On Saturday, June 17, 2017, the President called McGahn and directed him to have the
Special Counsel removed.571 McGahn was at home and the President was at Camp David.572 In
interviews with this Office, McGahn recalled that the President called him at home twice and on
both occasions directed him to call Rosenstein and say that Mueller had conflicts that precluded
him from serving as Special Counsel.573