According to a new report from the Washington Post says that the Mueller team threatened to subpoena Trump if he didn’t comply on his own volition to questioning.
In a tense meeting in early March with the special counsel, President Trump’s lawyers insisted he had no obligation to talk with federal investigators probing Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.
But special counsel Robert S. Mueller III responded that he had another option if Trump declined: He could issue a subpoena for the president to appear before a grand jury, according to four people familiar with the encounter.
And the Trump legal team was not happy about it:
Mueller’s warning — the first time he is known to have mentioned a possible subpoena to Trump’s legal team — spurred a sharp retort from John Dowd, then the president’s lead lawyer.
“This isn’t some game,” Dowd said, according to two people with knowledge of his comments. “You are screwing with the work of the president of the United States.”
Wow. Crazy, if true, huh? That means Mueller is willing to use some strong arm tactics to get the president to submit to questioning, which appears to be the last thing his lawyers want. And that’s smart given Trump’s history of making outlandish statements to his great detriment.
BUT this was a month ago – do the equations change after the questions from Mueller were leaked to the press, likely from the Trump team itself?! It’s so exciting!!! Also, #MAGA.
UPDATE:
The lawyer confirms the report.
BREAKING: President Donald Trump's ex-attorney says the special counsel in March raised the prospect of subpoenaing the president.
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 2, 2018