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"When the special council office questioned me, I was asked questions about the Trump campaign and about our relationship with the NRA," CNN's former aide Sam Nunberg told CNN. Trump campaign.
The Special Council Team Was Curious To learn more about how Donald Trump and his associates first formed a relationship with the NRA and how Trump spoke at the annual meeting of the group in 2015, a few months before the announcement of his candidacy for the presidency, said Nunberg.
Nunberg's interview with the Mueller team in February 2018 shows for the first time that the special council is investigating the Trump campaign's links with the powerful gun rights group . About a month ago, Mueller's investigators were still asking questions about the relationship between the campaign and the armed group, CNN learned.
A spokesman for the special council office declined to comment.
The NRA did not comment. respond to a request for comment.
President Trump was not asked about his links with the NRA in the written questions that Mueller had asked him, according to a source close to the questions.
Legislators had already examined the NRA for its huge spending on Trump in 2016 and its links with Russian nationals.
![The alleged Russian spy Maria Butina would cooperate before the plea hearing on Thursday [19659010] The alleged Russian spy Maria Butina reportedly cooperated before the hearing on Thursday](http://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/180717134902-02-maria-butina-large-169.jpg)
The forces of the order have accused the NRA of any wrongdoing.
Ron Wyden, Democratic Senator on the Senate Finance Committee, is one of the legislators who asked NRA for more information, including financial information.
Democrats complained under the GOP-led House intelligence committee that Republicans were hampering their efforts to determine whether the Russia used the NRA as part of its wider influence operations. It is unclear how Democrats could proceed now that they control the committee.
Up to now, however, it was unclear whether Mueller's team had an interest in being closely involved in negotiations between the Trump campaign and the NRA.
Trump the NRA
Trump spoke at the NRA Annual Meeting in Tennessee in 2015, accompanied by a number of other GOP presidential candidates. In May 2016, the NRA was ready to accept Trump's candidacy at the group's annual meeting in Kentucky.
"Believe me, getting this endorsement is a fantastic honor," Trump told the NRA crowd in 2016. "I will not let you down."
The NRA spent more than $ 30 million to support Trump's bid – an incredible sum even for an organization known for its political power.
Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., is an outdoor enthusiast who helped his father build closer ties with the NRA.
"They love the NRA more than anyone, I know it," Trump said at the 2015 NRA meeting, while he was bringing his sons Trump Jr. and Eric Trump on stage I am. "They happen to be my sons, they are members for life."
"These are our people," said Trump Jr. taking the stage. "We are shooters, we are hunters, we are outdoor enthusiasts, we are sportsmen and we love the second amendment."
A year later, Trump Jr. had a brief meeting with Torshin, the former Russian banker, on the sidelines of the 2016 NRA meeting.
Torshin had hoped to use the NRA meeting to establish lines of indirect communication between the then candidate, Mr Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. While he was unable to attend a meeting with Trump, he and his partner Butina met Trump Jr. at a dinner with NRA officials. hello ", but did not discuss the next presidential election.
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