President Trump on Tuesday upbraided those who leaked a list of questions Special Counsel Robert Mueller planned to ask the president and presented to Trump’s legal team.
“So disgraceful that the questions concerning the Russian Witch Hunt were ‘leaked’ to the media. No questions on Collusion,” the president wrote on Twitter early Tuesday morning.
So disgraceful that the questions concerning the Russian Witch Hunt were “leaked” to the media. No questions on Collusion. Oh, I see…you have a made up, phony crime, Collusion, that never existed, and an investigation begun with illegally leaked classified information. Nice!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 1, 2018
It would seem very hard to obstruct justice for a crime that never happened! Witch Hunt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 1, 2018
The list, obtained by the New York Times, contains dozens of questions relating to the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia as well as obstruction of justice claims against the president.
Many address Trump’s firing of former national security advisor Michael Flynn. Mueller wants to know whether the president intended afterwards to pardon Flynn, who was fired after he lied to Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with the Russian ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak.
A subject heavily on Mueller’s mind seems to be the president’s treatment of former FBI director James Comey, who was fired after causing controversy with his handling of both the Clinton email investigation and the Russia investigation. Mueller is digging into whether Trump demanded a promise of loyalty from Comey, who was handling the collusion investigation into the Trump campaign at the time.
Another obstruction of justice issue Mueller is curious about is Trump’s dealings with Comey’s boss, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who irked Trump when he recused himself from the Russia investigation.
The special counsel also planned to ask the president about any assistance from Russia during the campaign, including former campaign manager Paul Manafort’s Russian connections, the Trump Tower meeting between Trump’s son and son-in-law and a Russian lawyer, and Trump’s 2013 trip to Moscow for the Miss Universe pageant.
“What knowledge did you have of any outreach by your campaign, including by Paul Manafort, to Russia about potential assistance to the campaign?” Mueller wanted to ask.
Mueller is also investigating any desire by the president to fire the special counsel himself.
“What consideration and discussions did you have regarding terminating the special counsel in June of 2017?”
Mueller has gone back and forth with Trump’s legal team about interviewing the president. Trump himself wanted the interview at certain points, but his legal team is concerned the president would make statements that could land him in more legal trouble.
WATCH: Trump Slams ‘Disgraceful’ Leak Of Mueller Questions