Trump says he 'easily' answered Russia probe questions

By Jeff Mason

 

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks at an event for "supporting veterans and military families" at the White House in Washington, U.S. November 15, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Friday said he had "very easily" completed his written answers for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election, but had not yet submitted them to Mueller's office.

 

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he wrote the answers to the questions himself.

 

"My lawyers don't write answers. I write answers. I was asked a series of questions. I've answered them very easily," Trump said.

 

The Republican president did not specify when his legal team would submit his written responses. Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment.

 

"I'm sure they're tricked-up because, you know, they like to catch people," Trump said, referring to questions that he suggested could be designed to result in perjury charges. "You have to always be careful when you answer, with people that probably have bad intentions. Now, the questions were very routinely answered by me."

 

Mueller is investigating whether members of Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow in the 2016 election and whether Trump has unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe, which has cast a cloud over his presidency.

 

Trump and his lawyers had been in negotiations with Mueller's team for months over how the president would be questioned as part of the investigation.

 

Trump's team agreed to have the president submit written answers to questions relating to Russia's role in the election, but it is still possible Mueller may press Trump to answer questions on potential obstruction at some point. Another open question is whether Trump will eventually sit for an interview.

 

Tensions have risen over the probe since Trump last week ousted Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general and named Matthew Whitaker as his replacement on an acting basis. That move gave Whitaker, a Trump loyalist, oversight of the Mueller probe.

 

Mueller already has brought charges against a series of former Trump aides, including his former campaign chairman and his former national security adviser, as well as a number of Russian individuals and entities.

 

A federal judge on Thursday refused to dismiss criminal charges against Concord Management and Consulting LLC, a Russia company accused by Mueller of funding a propaganda operation to sway the 2016 election in Trump's favour.

 

Trump on Friday again criticized the probe as a "witch hunt" and said there was no collusion. Russia has also denied any interference.

 

"There should have never been a so-called investigation, which, in theory, it's not an investigation of me. But ... as far as I'm concerned, I like to take everything personally because you do better that way," Trump added.

 

Democrats and a number of Republicans have raised concerns about Whitaker's appointment, with a bipartisan group of U.S. senators renewing a push for legislation to protect the special counsel. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, has opposed any such legislation.

 

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who has said he would seek to lead the Senate panel overseeing the Justice Department next year, on Thursday met with Whitaker and expressed confidence the Russia probe would continue.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-17

 

"...My lawyers don't write answers. I write answers. I was asked a series of questions. I've answered them very easily," Trump said..."

 

 

10$ says his lawyer held the crayon for him...

 

 

 

He still doesn't appear to realise that answering questions is simple. Its getting them right that matters. But as we all have seen the answer last month is not the same as this month and could change again next month. 

Of course it was easy! The man is a "stable genius" with a higher IQ than Rex Tillerson.

Does it really matter?

Even if Mueller could show that Putin personally financed Tramp's complain his supporters would continue to support him.

And most of the spineless GOP politicians do everything to stay in power.

Worst case Trump will pardon himself and everybody around him and just continue as usual.

And the idiot rednecks will vote for him again. Yeah, the land of the free and brainless...

 

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

the questions were very routinely answered by me.

If they where so easy why did it take over three day of consulting your lawyers to do it you bs a/hole . 

An innocent person would probably say that he answered the questions "truthfully" and "accurately".

 

But he uses the word "easily", which is another one of his "tells".

 

 

Was it a multiple choice question  paper?

The salient point is that Mueller would not ask any of the questions unless he has all he needs on Trump.

 

Trump supporters are about to have their own question answered wrt ‘if Mueller has uncovered Trump crimes why has he not reported those crimes?’

 

Illiberals get your denial glasses on, the truth is(despite Trump’s best efforts) about to hit the fan.

25 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

Was it a multiple choice question  paper?

My thoughts exactly.

 

Tick box 1,2,3 or 4

“There are some (questions) that create more issues for us legally than others."  Rudy Giuliani.

 

The truth of the matter is that Mueller is already litigating a subpoena issued to Trump in a sealed and closed court case.  Trump is only now trying to respond to written questions, submitted to him in January, so Emmet Flood can argue to the court that Trump has cooperated with a less invasive means to obtain the testimony.  Another total sham.

Edited November 17, 20187 yr by zaphod reborn

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

10$ says his lawyer held the crayon for him...

 

He only eats the red and pink crayons, so some margin of safety.

 

 

Of course Trump 'easily' answered the questions he was given.  His lawyers kept the real ones for themselves to answer, and gave him these instead:

Hopefully, he did a "better job" than he did when he tried to color the U.S. flag?

 

 

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

it's not an investigation of me. But ... as far as I'm concerned, I like to take everything personally because you do better that way," Trump added.

And therein lies the rub.

This idiot takes everything personally, he is so thin skinned, that any genuine criticism comes across as a personal insult.

This guy is not fit for office, any office, let alone the office of POTUS.

I also think he is gagging to start a war.

Somewhere. Anywhere.

Just waiting for some incident/insult to upset him "personally" so he can drop some bombs.

Completely deranged nutjob.

Troll post removed.

 

I say trump answering thease questions on his own is pure 100% bovine scatoligy 

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...My lawyers don't write answers. I write answers. I was asked a series of questions. I've answered them very easily," Trump said..."

 

 

10$ says his lawyer held the crayon for him...

 

 

 

Yeah, and it took him three days to do it.

Evidently, he hasn't turned in his answers yet.

 

Hopefully, the dog doesn't eat his homework.

 

 

1 hour ago, thaiguzzi said:

Just waiting for some incident/insult to upset him "personally" so he can drop some bombs.

Completely deranged nutjob.

Iran or North Korea????

 

Bro Kim is making it look like he played him. My bet is on N. K. in 2019 (like pre 2020, you know, the year he is up for 2nd term election).

48 minutes ago, neeray said:

Iran or North Korea????

 

Bro Kim is making it look like he played him. My bet is on N. K. in 2019 (like pre 2020, you know, the year he is up for 2nd term election).

How about both?

And anybody else who "personally" insults him.

Like Chad or Nigeria, or even Mexico or Honduras, or any other shIthole nation..........

2 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

How about both?

And anybody else who "personally" insults him.

Like Chad or Nigeria, or even Mexico or Honduras, or any other shIthole nation..........

Yeah, he's dumb enough to take on 2 at the same time (just like he does with women/wives).

Trump is an inveterate liar, his lawyers understand this.

 

So most likely case he’s lying through his teeth and his lawyers wrote the response.

 

Less likely case he wrote the answers.

 

Eitheway, his declaration that he is the author removes any chance of later claims that there was a misunderstanding between him and his lawyers.

14 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Trump is an inveterate liar, his lawyers understand this.

 

So most likely case he’s lying through his teeth and his lawyers wrote the response.

 

Less likely case he wrote the answers.

 

Eitheway, his declaration that he is the author removes any chance of later claims that there was a misunderstanding between him and his lawyers.

If he writes like he speaks, the response will be full of bafflegab. Mueller will need a translator.

Trump lives by the belief that "bullshit baffles brains".

2 hours ago, Tug said:

I say trump answering thease questions on his own is pure 100% bovine scatoligy 

Obviously.

He even did a gaffe during that show.

After making such a thing about answering them himself, he then said the word WE in reference to the answers.

Not that anyone expects him not to get help. Why does he bother? What kind of moron would believe him? 

"Trump says....." Enough! His lips are flapping, so he is lying. The world seems to know, only usa lags behind. After all, they choose this lying disrespectful coward!

The meaning is: easily telling lies 

59 minutes ago, JulesMad said:

"Trump says....." Enough! His lips are flapping, so he is lying. The world seems to know, only usa lags behind. After all, they choose this lying disrespectful coward!

"Chose" with a minority of votes and now repudiated in a national election (the house of representatives) by a margin of NINE points. So we're making progress. Agent Orange will soon have at least some oversight. 

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Trump says he 'easily' answered Russia probe questions

If it was so easy, why didn't he answer the questions last year in person?

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

If it was so easy, why didn't he answer the questions last year in person?

Because he knows he's guilty and a key lawyer he had before he resigned told him if he testified in person he should be prepared to be wearing an orange jump suit.

Let's get real now.

Nobody innocent behaves in the way Agent Orange has behaved. 

Edited November 17, 20187 yr by Jingthing