KEEPING UP APPEARANCES?

White House: Trump Hasn’t Fired Mueller Because of How Media Would React

“I think we all know what everybody in this room would do if the president did that, and I don't think that is helpful to the process.”

President Trump has not fired special counsel Robert Mueller partly because of the public-relations disaster that would ensue from such a move, the White House said Tuesday. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters the president was aware of the ramifications of any move against Mueller, who is leading the Russia investigation so often dismissed as a “witch hunt” by Trump. Asked whether Trump would go so far as to fire Mueller, Sanders said, “I think we all know what everybody in this room would do if the president did that, and I don’t think that is helpful to the process.” Trump “wants to see this end and he wants to see them finally come to the same conclusion that I think most everyone in America has—that there is nothing to this,” Sanders said. Her comments came shortly after The Washington Post reported that Mueller is planning to interview Trump about his firing of FBI Director James Comey and National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, a move that some believe constituted obstruction of justice.