'He's weighing that option': Trump associate suggests Trump may fire special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation

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Robert Mueller

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Robert Mueller.

President Donald Trump may consider firing Robert Mueller, the special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation.

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"He's weighing that option," said Chris Ruddy, Newsmax CEO and friend of Trump on PBS NewsHour Monday evening. "I personally think it would be a very significant mistake - even though I dont think there's a justification ... for a special counsel in this case," Ruddy said.

Ruddy called out what he described as "conflicts" surrounding Mueller's law firm, WilmerHale, which has represented Trump's former campaign manager and members of the Trump family. Ruddy also said that Trump had interviewed Mueller for the role of FBI director before Mueller was named special counsel in charge of the Russia investigation.

In the last 36 hours, people in Trump's orbit have floated conflicting narratives on the matter. A lawyer for Trump said on ABC News Sunday that he is "not going to speculate" about whether Trump may fire Mueller. But Trump's conservative allies have begun to turn on the special counsel, despite initally praising his appointment.

Trump's allies now claim that the results Mueller comes up with in the investigation into whether Trump campaign associates colluded with Russian officials during the 2016 election will be tainted and biased, Business Insider's Allan Smith reported earlier Tuesday, due in part to former FBI director James Comey's Senate testimony last week.

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At his hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, Comey said that he gave a friend, a Columbia law professor, permission to share with news outlets Comey's memos documenting private meetings he had with Trump. Comey testified that he believed the revelations in his memos - including concern that Trump sought to influence the FBI's Russia investigation - would prompt the appointment of a special counsel.

While Trump as president would be within his right to fire Mueller, that potential move is largely seen as problematic for a president already plagued by suggestions he have overstepped his boundaries in his interactions with Comey.

Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee attempted to knock down any suggestion of Trump firing Mueller: "If President fired Bob Mueller, Congress would immediately re-establish independent counsel and appoint Bob Mueller. Don't waste our time," Schiff said, though it is unclear exactly how the Republican-led Congress would react to Muller's firing, if it were to happen.