Trump adds to the confusion over the scope of the FBI's investigation into Kavanaugh's accusations

Trump said he was open to a "very full investigation" but suggested at different times that the survey would be guided by the wishes of Republican senators and that the FBI could decide who to interview as long as 39, it is "within reason".

Trump pointed out that he wanted the FBI to act quickly and that he continues to defend his candidate for the Supreme Court, congratulating him on living "an exemplary life" and deploring the effect of the FBI. national attention to his wife and children.

Senior Republican Senate officials do not want to extend the fight for Kavanaugh's confirmation beyond this week, though leaders have not yet stopped the 50 Republican votes needed to put Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. Meaning. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have not announced their decision yet.

"The time of delay and obstruction without end has ended. Judge Kavanaugh's appointment is out of committee. We are looking at this here, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Said Monday. "We will vote this week."

[Fight over Kavanaugh intensifies amid confusion over limits of FBI sexual assault investigation]

Trump made his comments at the end of a press conference in the Rose Garden regarding the Democrats' concern that the White House is trying to impose strict limits on the FBI in the week in which he was granted to conduct interviews.

In a letter to the White House and the FBI on Monday, Democrats of the Senate Judiciary Committee listed more than two dozen people they would like to be interviewed as part of the investigation.

The president ordered the bureau last week to take another limited look at Mr. Kavanaugh's background, after key Republican senators made it clear that they were unwilling to support the candidacy without additional scrutiny.

One of these, Senator Jeff Flake (Arizona), announced Monday that he was considering meeting with the White House to make sure that the investigation the FBI is "up to the task".

"There is no point in having an investigation that just gives us more coverage," Flake said during a Forbes Under 30 summit interview in Boston.

Flake, a frequent critic of Trump, said it was important to "curb" Kavanaugh's confirmation process.

"The country also understood that we take this very seriously," he said.

Trump said he would hand over to the Republican-led Senate on the scope of the investigation.

"I want them to conduct a very thorough investigation, whatever that means according to the senators, the Republicans and the Republican majority," Trump told the press conference, which aimed to praise a new agreement with Canada and Mexico. "I am guided by the Senate. I want to make the Senate happy.

At another point, he said, "I think the FBI should do everything it has to do to find the answer."

Starting Monday morning, it appeared that the FBI was investigating the allegations of two of the three women publicly accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct: Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges that she was assaulted while both were in high school; and Deborah Ramirez, who alleges that Kavanaugh was exposed while he was a freshman at the university.

Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for a third woman, Julie Swetnick, said Monday that the FBI had not contacted her client. Swetnick swore an affidavit swearing Kavanaugh of aggressive sexual behavior and being present at parties in high schools where mass rapes took place.

When asked if he thought the FBI should question Swetnick, Trump said, "That would not bother me at all."

But then, he added: "The third of which I do not know much". He also said he heard that Swetnick was not very credible.

At another point, he said he did not want Kavanaugh's investigation to become a "witch hunt," a term Trump has repeatedly used to describe the special council's investigation, Robert S. Muller III , on the interference of the elections in Russia.

Trump also stated that he was "open" to the FBI interviewing other witnesses that the office discovered and who could corroborate the charges against Kavanaugh. Democrats have expressed fears that the investigation will be limited to a handful of known witnesses.

During a dramatic hearing before the Senate last week on the occasion of Ford's testimony, Mr. Kavanaugh acknowledged that he had sometimes drunk too much in high school, while asserting that he was "drunk." he had no problem with alcohol.

Trump appeared to underestimate his candidate at Monday's press conference, saying Kavanaugh had admitted to having "difficulties" with alcohol.

"I watched it," Trump said. "I was surprised at how much he liked the fact that he loves beer."

Some Democrats suggested that Kavanaugh had a credibility problem because he downplayed the effects of alcohol consumption, saying that he had never fainted or that he had spent nights without to be able to remember everything that happened.

Trump said that he did not think Kavanaugh was vulnerable in this regard.

"I really believe that he was very strong about the fact that he drank a lot," said the president, also asserting that there was no evidence that Kavanaugh had had any problems. Alcohol problems with alcohol over the past 25 years.

Trump continued to lament the effect of the close examination of Kavanaugh's family.

"What his wife lives, what her beautiful children live, is not descriptible," said Trump.

He insisted he had an "open mind" on what the FBI could find, but said he was not considering other possible Supreme Court candidates at this stage.

"I do not want to talk about Plan B because I hope it will be approved," Trump said.

He again whipped Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Who received a letter from Ford in July but took no action because Ford had asked for it to be confidential. Ford stated that she only came forward when her name was leaked and the journalists started to contact her.

On Monday, Trump said he thought Feinstein had "probably" leaked the letter – which she repeatedly denied.

In one of his most curious comments during the press conference, Trump suggested that a Democratic senator had problems with alcohol. He did not name the senator and did not specify how it was relevant to assessing Kavanaugh's fitness for the court.

"I saw this person in very bad situations, somewhat compromising," Trump said.