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Matt Zapotosky
A national security reporter covering the Department of Justice
The decisive meeting of Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein with President Trump on the future of his work will be postponed until next week, announced Thursday the White House.
In a statement around 12:30, the White House said Trump "had talked with Rod Rosenstein a few minutes ago and they were planning to meet next week." on the appointment of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
"They do not want to do anything to interfere with the audience," the statement said.
The move was planned. Trump said at a press conference on Wednesday that he hoped to postpone a scheduled meeting on Thursday and keep Rosenstein in his job – even amid reports that the deputy attorney general had suggested last year to listen to the president or to invoke a constitutional amendment to force him from the office
[Ahead of what was to be fateful meeting, Trump says he would prefer to keep Rosenstein]
Rosenstein has disputed these reports – which are largely based on what former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe has alleged in contemporary memos, according to the Deputy Attorney General.
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein meets with an unidentified man while he arrives at the White House on Thursday. (Alex Wong / Getty Images)
The adjournment of the meeting marks a dramatic de-escalation of the conflict that seemed set to end on Monday, with Rosenstein leaving the Justice Department, insufficient uncertainty in the special advocate's investigation into the coordination of Trump's campaign with the Kremlin. But Rosenstein is still not out of the woods.
The Judiciary Committee of the House issued a subpoena for McCabe's notes, as well as other documents related to the investigation in Russia. The conservative Republicans announced Thursday that they expect Rosenstein to visit the Capitol "soon" to testify before the judiciary, oversight and government reform committees.
"I think we're going in the right direction with respect to Mr. Rosenstein's coming to Congress," said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).
Over the weekend, Rosenstein had offered to resign in light of reports that he wanted to tune the president, and the Justice Department was preparing for a future without him. Matt Whitaker, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, would take up his duties as Deputy Attorney General and Noel Francisco, the Solicitor General, would take over the investigation of Russia.
Instead, Rosenstein went to the White House on Monday waiting for him to be fired, then he stayed in his job. Some advisers urged the president not to send him back – wary of inspiring the Democrats with the midterm elections in a few months. On Wednesday, Trump said at a press conference: "I would prefer to keep it and let it finish.
The president also noted that Rosenstein challenged the accounts describing what he had said and reiterated his own disdain for McCabe. Trump frequently criticized McCabe for his political contributions as his wife, who failed for the state office in Virginia, received a political action committee from a Hillary ally. Clinton.
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