President Donald Trump says "no matter" what Don McGahn, a former White House lawyer, told Mueller

President Donald Trump directly contests the story of a key witness in the investigation of special advocate Robert Mueller on a possible obstruction of justice during the investigation of Russia, claiming that " it does not matter ", said his former lawyer, Don McGahn, at the White House.

In an exclusive interview with George Stephanopoulos, chief editor of ABC News, Trump said that McGahn "may have been confused" when he told Mueller that Trump had repeatedly asked him to remove the special advocate. by the special advocate because of conflicts of interest.

"The story, very simply, No. 1, I was never going to fire Mueller. I never suggested sending Mueller back, "Trump told Stephanopoulos.

But when Stephanopoulos backed up and referred to McGahn's testimony, Trump was provocative.

"I do not care what [McGahn] says, it does not matter, "Trump said.

"Why would [McGahn] to lie under oath? "Stephanopoulos asked later.

AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin

"Because he wanted to pretend to be a good lawyer," Trump said. "Or he believed because I would constantly tell anyone who would listen to me – including you, including the media – that Robert Mueller was in conflict – Robert Mueller had a total conflict of interest."

"And must leave?" Stephanopoulos followed.

"I did not say that," Trump insisted.

The Special Advocate's Report (Volume II, page 80) refutes Trump's repeated assertion that Mueller was in conflict.

On the president's instructions, McGahn is currently fighting a subpoena by the House Judiciary Committee to testify publicly about these conversations with Trump, among others. McGahn spent nearly 30 hours with the special attorney investigators to testify under oath and was one of the president's most cited aides in the report.

Evan Vucci / AP

Trump also defended his decision not to sit in person with Mueller's investigators – which he had repeated many times – in expressing his concern that investigators were seeking to take him into lies or misunderstandings. anomalies. He finally submitted written answers to the questions of the investigators.

And although Trump finally refused to speak directly to Mueller's investigators about McGahn and other topics, he did not hesitate to share his views with ABC News.

"If you answer these questions now," said Stephanopoulos, "why not answer under oath to Robert Mueller?"

"Because they were trying to convince us of lies or small anomalies," Trump said. "I watched what happened to people and it was very unfair, very very very unfair, very unfair."

ABC News

When Stephanopoulos pointed out that the president had not provided written answers to answer questions about a possible obstruction of justice, Trump was frustrated.

"Wait a minute," Trump said. "Wait a minute, I answered the questions, and I wrote back to them."

"Not on the obstruction," Stephanopoulos said.

"George, you're a good little guy, OK – which is typical for you," said Trump. "Just for you to understand, very simple, it's very simple, there was no crime, there was no collusion, the big problem was collusion. There is no collusion, which means that they have established – it was an installation, in my opinion, and I think it will come out. "

Although Mueller did not come to a conclusion on the obstruction, the 11 possible bouts of impediment he investigated were a central part of the Democrats' impeachment case.

The special attorney's investigation failed to find sufficient evidence to establish the existence of a plot between the Trump campaign and Russia, but she detailed several "offers of assistance to society". [Trump] According to the special council, to accuse the president of a crime was "not an option we could consider" because of the policy of the Ministry of Justice.

The word "collusion", as members of Trump's legal team have repeatedly said, does not appear in the federal code.