For some months now there’s been a number of reports to the effect that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is seeking to interview Trump. The story has morphed its way through several iterations since October last year and continues to command major headlines six months later.
From Politico's October 12, 2017 headline: President's lawyers may offer Mueller a meeting with Trump
Donald Trump’s lawyers are open to having the president sit down for an interview with Robert Mueller, according to a senior White House official, as part of a wider posture of cooperation with the special counsel’s Russia probe.
to the USA Today January 19, 2018 headline: White House lawyer: Trump 'eager' to talk to Robert Mueller
"I would hope that a fair minded office of special counsel would approach it in a dutiful way consistent with precedent and it wouldn't be a mere perjury trap," attorney Ty Cobb told the CBS News podcast The Takeout.
to the Washington Post February 6, 2018 headline: Trump keeps flip-flopping on an interview with Mueller
In the latest development, the New York Times reports that Trump's lawyers have advised him against granting a sit-down interview
...
A refusal to speak with Mueller in person would represent a dramatic shift from Trump's initial position.
and most recently in Politico on March 15, 2018:
A Wall Street Journal story published last Friday said Trump’s lawyers were considering offering the special counsel a sit-down interview — but only with conditions, such as a deadline for Mueller to wrap up portions of the probe specifically involving Trump.
But there are several indicators that this story, in all its iterations, should be taken with a grain of salt.
The two most glaring indications that the story should be viewed with considerable scepticism are the following:
- The only source for this story is the White House, specifically Trump’s lawyers and Trump himself
- Not a single word has come from the Special Counsel’s Office regarding such an interview.
Taken together, these two facts should be ringing some major alarm bells as to the veracity of the story.
Consider this: what has notably come out of the White House since January 20, 2017, is lie after lie after lie. So why anyone would choose to believe this story is true is, frankly, astounding.
What’s far more likely is that Trump’s lawyers are purposefully creating a narrative. The obvious objective is to aid Trump’s defense by molding public opinion. You can see them doing it in the way they are framing their case:
“Trump’s lawyers are open” (Politico) suggesting they’re approachable and transparent.
“as part of a wider posture of cooperation with the special counsel” (Politico) insinuating that it is Trump’s lawyers who are going out of their way and being cooperative, not the Special Counsel.
"I would hope that a fair minded office of special counsel” (Trump Lawyer, Ty Cobb, quoted in USA Today). Here Ty Cobb is introducing doubt as to the fair-mindedness of Mueller and his team.
“special counsel would approach it in a dutiful way” (ibid, USA Today). Of course “dutiful” is the key word here and it carries a number of messages. It’s referring to the duty and dutiful respect owed to the office of President while suggesting that this investigation is not being conducted out of a sense of duty and is therefore downright unpatriotic. Again it is casting doubt on Mueller’s motives.
“be a mere perjury trap" (ibid, USA Today). While thinking people immediately honed in on the mention of perjury, as in Trump can’t be trusted not to perjure himself, it also effectively communicated the idea that it was Mueller’s intention to trap Trump. This is pure red meat for the base. Cobb’s message to them is: Mueller is plotting to trap Trump by catching him out with legal gotcha questions — so unfair!
”offering the special counsel a sit-down interview” (Politico). “offering” is meant to convey the idea that it is Trump’s lawyers who are the ones making the genuine and generous proposals, not Mueller. Even more telling is the inclusion of “sit-down” as if Mueller intended to make Trump stand for the entire interrogation!
It’s a clever ongoing narrative and it’s doing its job but it just doesn’t ring true and not only because of the way it’s being framed.
From everything we know about Robert Mueller, we can confidently conclude that he is decisive, meticulous and exacting. He does not “suggest” targets come in for an interview then leave them to think about it for several months. That idea alone is preposterous!
Then there are accounts from those who have already attended mandated interviews — they agree on one thing: Mueller is not the interviewer. He sits in but does not ask questions. Members of his team conduct the interviews, usually in pairs and on a rotational basis. Therefore the claim by Trump’s lawyers that Mueller wants to interview Trump himself, is likely to be pure fiction.
Furthermore, interviewing Trump would be explosive if the timing isn’t right and the very last thing a very sensible and very intelligent Bob Mueller will want to do is to blast his carefully calibrated investigation to smithereens. We will know when the timing is right because that’s when Mueller will act — and you can bet he won’t be negotiating terms with Trump six months beforehand.
It’s rare that any story stays up this long — six months is an exceptionally long time in the media business — so how has it managed to attain this longevity? It’s because the White House keep mentioning it. Trump and his lawyers keep throwing out quotes and changing the story just enough so reporters and talking heads take the bait.
But — and it’s a big but — there’s not been so much as the hint of a faint whisper from Mueller’s team. The story is one hundred percent the product of the White House, ie Liar Central.
So until there is an authorized announcement from the Special Counsel’s Office, be sceptical of this story. It’s appearance is deceiving.