Friend says Trump is considering firing special counsel

Several senior Trump aides believe that Comey went public with his doubts about the president's behavior and trustworthiness with the intention of steering Rosenstein toward appointing his friend Mueller, according to one longtime Trump associate who remains close to the White House. "I'm not going to follow any orders unless I believe those are lawful and appropriate orders", he said, emphasizing that the attorney general "actually does not know what we're investigating". "Special counsel Mueller may be fired only for good cause, and I am required to put that cause in writing".

On top of the high-profile testimony of Attorney General Jeff Sessions before the Senate Intelligence Committee Tuesday, the media was swarming over a rumor President Trump was looking to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Additionally, Newsmax CEO and Trump confidant Chris Ruddy told PBS "NewsHour" Monday night that Trump was considering firing Mueller, which he said would be a "very significant mistake".

A friend of the president says Donald Trump is considering "terminating" special counsel Robert Mueller.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions says the suggestion that he colluded with Russians in the 2016 presidential election "is an appalling and detestable lie".

"If there were good cause", I would consider it", Rosenstein testified.

Even Jay Sekulow, a member of Trump's legal team, said, "I can't imagine that that issue is going to arise", when asked about the possibility of firing Mueller on the same program Sunday. Sanders said that while Mr. Trump has the right to fire Mueller, he has no intention of doing so.

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about Ruddy's claims. Under the regulation, special counsel Mueller may be fired only for good cause. "Is the President now considering firing special prosecutor Robert Mueller who is now overseeing the Russian Federation investigation", speculated ABC Anchor David Muir during World News Tonight.

That is the doomsday scenario formulated by some of the president's most extreme backers, who are obviously terrified by the potential findings of the special counsel's investigation of illicit connections between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign.

House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday morning refused to "get into hypotheticals", but said he would advise Trump to keep Mueller on board.

The talk about dismissing Mueller appeared to be coming from Trump allies - including some close to White House strategist Steve Bannon - who are increasingly frustrated with the prospect of a long and winding probe. York asked five unnamed Washington lawyers if they thought Comey's reported friendship with Mueller presented a conflict. In 2004, Comey, as deputy attorney general, and Mueller, then head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, together confronted White House counsel Alberto Gonzales in the hospital room of then-seriously ill Attorney General John Ashcroft in a successful attempt to block the White House from implementing a surveillance protocol that Gonzales and, tentatively, President George W. Bush favored.

"Director Mueller is going to have the full degree of independence that he needs to conduct that investigation appropriately", Rosenstein said.

Just weeks ago, Gingrich had heaped praise on Mueller, hailing him as a "superb choice" for special counsel whose reputation was "impeccable for honesty and integrity".

Trump has made it clear that he is frustrated by the United States probe of Russian interference in the presidential election, which USA intelligence officials said was done to tilt the outcome in Trump's favor.

Mr Ruddy said he spoke to the President on Friday. And I have to look at - when you say there's no - Judy, I think we both have to agree, so far, there's been no evidence of wrongdoing.