Ruddy recalled that they told him the President was strongly considering firing the Special Counsel and that he would do so precipitously, without vetting the decision through Administration officials.
On Monday, June 12, 2017, Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax Media and a longtime friend of the President’s, met at the White House with Priebus and Bannon.1830 Ruddy recalled that they told him the President was strongly considering firing the Special Counsel and that he would do so precipitously, without vetting the decision through Administration officials.1831 Ruddy asked Priebus if Ruddy could talk publicly about the discussion they had about the Special Counsel, and Priebus said he could.1832 Priebus told Ruddy he hoped another blow up like the one that followed the termination of Comey did not happen.1833 Later that day, Ruddy stated in a televised interview that the President was “considering perhaps terminating the Special Counsel” based on purported conflicts of interest.1834 Ruddy later told another news outlet that “Trump is definitely considering” terminating the Special Counsel and “it’s not something that’s being dismissed.”1835 Ruddy’s comments led to extensive coverage in the media that the President was considering firing the Special Counsel.1836
Footnotes
1830. Ruddy 6/ 6/ 18 302, at 5.
1831. Ruddy 6/ 6/ 18 302, at 5-6.
1832. Ruddy 6/ 6/ 18 302, at 6.
1833. Ruddy 6/ 6/ 18 302, at 6.
1834. Trump Confidant Christopher Ruddy says Mueller has “real conflicts” as special counsel, PBS (June 12, 2017); Michael D. Shear & Maggie Haberman, Friend Says Trump Is Considering Firing Mueller as Special Counsel, New York Times (June 12, 2017).
1835. Katherine Faulders & Veronica Stracqualursi, Trump friend Chris Ruddy says Spicer’s ‘bizarre’ statement doesn’t deny claim Trump seeking Mueller firing, ABC (June 13, 2017).
1836. See, e.g., Michael D. Shear & Maggie Haberman, Friend Says Trump Is Considering Firing Mueller as Special Counsel, New York Times (June 12, 2017).
