President Trump’s aides will hit the Sunday news shows circuit this week, days after Trump issued some of his strongest attacks yet against Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation.
Trump tweeted on Wednesday that Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has recused himself from the Russia investigation, should shut down the more than 1-year-old investigation, which has so far led to the indictments of dozens of Russian nationals on election interference charges and several Trump campaign members for unrelated charges.
“Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now,” Trump tweeted early Wednesday.
His remark came after it was reported late last month that Mueller’s investigation has begun to look at the president’s tweets for evidence of obstruction of justice. Mueller is reportedly reviewing Trump’s statements regarding his firing of FBI Director James Comey last year, in addition to tweets about Sessions and former FBI Deputy Director, Andrew McCabe.
The White House has attempted to defend Trump and his tweets, maintaining that the president is merely stating his opinions on his Twitter account and not issuing directives to the Justice Department.
“It’s not an order. It’s the president’s opinion,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters during a press briefing Wednesday, adding, “The president is not obstructing. He is fighting back.”
One of the president’s lawyers representing him in the Mueller probe, Jay Sekulow, will join ABC’s “This Week,” while White House counselor Kellyanne Conway will appear on CBS News’ “Face The Nation,” where both are expected to face questions over the president’s tweets.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, will also join CBS. Schiff has led House Democrats’ efforts to investigate the president’s alleged ties to Russia and is expected to contest Conway’s assertions.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees the FBI and the Justice Department, will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Here’s the full Sunday show lineup:
ABC’s “This Week”: Trump legal team member Jay Sekulow, Govs. John Kasich (R-Ohio), and Jay Inslee (D-Wash.).
NBC’s “Meet the Press”: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
CBS’s “Face the Nation”: White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Arne Duncan, former education secretary for President Obama.
CNN’s “State of the Union”: Reps. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), and Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.), former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D).
“Fox News Sunday”: National security adviser John Bolton, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Cody Wilson, director of 3D gun manufacturing company Defense Distributed.
— Updated Aug. 5, 10:38 a.m.