Mueller likely to interview Trump in next few weeks: report

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team could interview President Trump within the next several weeks, The Washington Post reported Monday.

A person close to the investigation told the newspaper that Mueller could interview Trump on a limited number of questions relating to the probe.

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“This is moving faster than anyone really realizes,” said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The individual also said that Trump is comfortable with participating in the questioning and believes it will show that his campaign did not collude with Russia during the 2016 election. Trump has previously indicated that he is willing to meet with the special counsel. 

Mueller reportedly brought up an interview with Trump during a meeting with Trump attorneys John Dowd and Jay Sekulow in December, according to the newspaper.

Dowd and Sekulow both declined to comment to The Washington Post.

“The White House does not comment on communications with the Office of the Special Counsel out of respect for the Office of the Special Counsel and its process,” White House lawyer Ty Cobb said in a statement.

One person close to the proceedings said that Mueller’s office is planning to meet with Trump’s legal team soon to set up the possible conditions for the interview.

Cobb said last month that Mueller had completed his interviews with White House staff. His team is continuing to question other individuals connected to the probe, and has reportedly called back one individual who attended an infamous 2016 Trump Tower meeting between a Russian lawyer and top Trump campaign staffers, including Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner.

NBC News reported earlier Monday that Trump’s lawyers are discussing options for an interview with Mueller.

The report comes as Mueller appears to be moving on to the president’s inner circle in his Russia probe.

In the last few months of 2017, Mueller’s team brought a series of charges against former Trump campaign aides including Michael Flynn, who went on to serve a short tenure as White House national security adviser, and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort. 

The investigation has followed the president and his administration into his second year in office.

Trump, who has adamantly denied colluding with the Kremlin, again stated on Saturday that “no crime” occurred. 

“Just so you understand, there’s been no collusion. There’s been no crime. And in theory, everybody tells me I’m not under investigation — maybe Hillary is, I don’t know — but I’m not,” the president told reporters at Camp David when asked about his willingness to meet with Mueller.

“But we have been very open. We could have done it two ways. We could have been very closed, and it would have taken years. But you know, sort of like when you’ve done nothing wrong, let’s be open and get it over with,” he continued.

Trump added that the investigation makes “our country look foolish.”

–Jordan Fabian and Olivia Beavers contributed to this report, which was updated at 3:34 p.m.