Donald Trump Confidante Chris Ruddy: ‘I Did Not Talk To President’ About Firing Mueller

TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT. >> WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU
TALKED TO HIM? >> LAST NIGHT.
>> CHRISTOPHER RUDDY IS JOINING ME RIGHT HERE IN THE STUDIO.
SO YOU SAY THE PRESIDENT IS CONSIDERING FIRING ROBERT
MUELLER. >> I SAID THE PRESIDENT WAS
KEEPING IT AS AN OPTION. IT WAS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE
PRESIDENT' OWN STATE'S ATTORNEY SAID A DAY BEFORE ON NATIONAL
TELEVISION, LOOK, I THINK THE PRESIDENT IS A VERY SAVVY
BUSINESS GUY. IF YOU READ THE ART OF THE DEAL,
HE SAYS KEEP ADVERSARIES IN THE DARK.
>> HOW DO YOU KNOW IT HAS BEEN AN OPTION?
IS IT SOMETHING YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM TOP OFFICIALS.
>> I RUN NEWS MAX, ANYONE CAN TAKE A LOOK, AND YOU WILL SEE
THAT WE HAVE VERY GOOD SOURCES. >> YOU'RE HEARING THIS FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION SERVICES. >> WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU
SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT? >> I SPOKE TO HIM LAST WEEK.
>> DID HE RAISE THE POSSIBILITY AT ALL OF LETTING ROBERT
MUELLER -- >> WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT THE
MULER SITUATION. >> NOT AT ALL?
>> I STILL STAND BY THAT IT IS AN OPTION, OR AT LEAST THE
INFORMATION THAT I HAVE AS OF YESTERDAY, AND THE PRESIDENT'S
OWN ATTORNEY HAS SAID THIS. >> LET ME GET SPECIFIC IF YOU.
YOU WERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, MEETING WITH STEVE BANNAN AND
REINCE PRIEBUS. >> I DON'T DISCUSS WHO I SAW AT
THE WHITE HOUSE AND WHAT THE TOPIC OF CONSERVATION WAS.
THIS IS AN ILLEGITIMATE SPECIAL COUNCIL.
THE STATUTE, VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOUR VIEWERS TO UNDERSTAND THIS,
SAYS THE SPECIAL COUNCIL CAN ONLY BE TRIGGERED IF THERE IS AN
UNDER LYING CRIMINAL PROBE. CAN YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT IS THE
ATTENTION AGAINST THE PRESIDENT OF ANY OF HIS OFFICIALS.
>> FOR THE LEGITIMACY OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL IT WOULD BE UP
FOR DEBATE, BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR MEETING AT THE
WHITE HOUSE, AND DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WOULD DISAGREE WITH
YOU. LET ME GO BACK TO YOUR MEETINGS
AT THE WHITE HOUSE YESTERDAY. DID THE TOP OFFICIALS MEET WITH?
>> I WOULD NOT ASK YOU AS A JOURNALIST WHAT YOU, OR --
>> I DID NOT TALK TO THE PRESIDENT ABOUT THE ISSUE.
I DO NOT BELIEVE HE WILL FIRE HIM.
I BELIEVE HE HAS THE LEAGUE RIGHT TO DO IT, I BELIEVE IT'S
AN OPTION AS THE PRESIDENT'S OWN ATTORNEY SAID ON SUNDAY.
>> IS IT AN ACTIVE OPTION? >> YOU SHOULD REALLY SPEAK TO
THE WHITE HOUSE. I JUST TOLD YOU WHAT I KNEW, AND
MY LARGER ISSUE IS THAT THE PRESIDENT IS UNDER IMMEDIATE
ATTACK THAT NO OTHER PRESIDENT IN HISTORY HAS HAD.
THESE ISSUES OFTEN TIMES ARE SIDE SHOWS TO THE LARGER ISSUE,
THE PRESS WILL NOT REPORT ABOUT ANY OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS.
>> THAT'S UNDERSTOOD, BUT WHY DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT IT WAS AN
OPTION, IS IT SOMETHING YOU HEARD FROM TOP OFFICIALS AT THE
WHITE HOUSE. >> I ALREADY SAID THAT I WILL
NOT REVEAL WHO MY SOURCES ARE, BUT I FELT CONFIDENCE IN SEEING
IT, AND IT WAS CONSISTENT IN WHAT THE PRESIDENT'S OWN
ATTORNEYS SAID. >> SEAN WAS HOPING I WOULD PUT
OUT A TWEET. I NEVER CLAIMED THAT I WAS ON
PBS LAST NIGHT, I NEVER CLAIMED THAT I SPOKE WITH THE PRESIDENT.
SINCE NOBODY CLAIMED IT, WHY WOULD YOU ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE?
AGAIN I THINK THE WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE IS DOING A
DISSERVICE TO THE PRESIDENT BY NOT FOCUSING ON THE FACT THAT
YOU HAVE SEVERAL NOW TOP PROSECUTORS WITH CORRECTOR
MUELLER THAT HAVE DONATED TO CAMPAIGNS.
I BELIEVE IT IS A PARTISAN EFFORT TO GET THE PRESIDENT BY
THE SPECIAL COUNCIL, AND THEY ARE LIKE OCTOPUSES.
WHAT IS THE ALLEGATIONS? >> TRYING TO GET TO THE I DON'T
WANT TO SIDETRACKS HERE, SPEAKING ABOUT THE
COMMUNICATIONS DTH, YOU SAID SOME OF THE TEAM WAS AMATEUR
HOUR, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? >> I THINK IF YOU'RE PUTTING OUT
PRESS RELEASES AT 11:00 AT NIGHT SAYS CHRIS RUDDY DID NOT SPEAK
WITH THE PRESIDENT ON THIS MANNER WHEN I NEVER SAID I DID,
IT IS RIDICULOUS, ISN'T IT? I THINK THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF
GAVE HIS OWN COMMUNICATIONS DTH
-- DEPARTMENT A C PLUS. THE FIRST CITIZEN PRESIDENT.
HE OPENED UP CHINA IN 90 DAYS. HE IS GETTING NATO COMPANIES TO
FINALLY PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. HE IS DOING A PROGRAM THAT
PRESIDENT OBAMA COULD HAVE DONE. THERE IS SO MANY THINGS HE COULD
HAVE DONE. AND THEY ARE UPSET ABOUT THE
ELECTION. >> AND THAT TRIP WAS WISELY
COVERED, BUT I WANT TO BLESS YOU.
I HAVE SPOKEN TO SPOKES IN THE WHITE HOUSE SAYING YOU'RE NOT IN
EXACT WITH THE PRESIDENT AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT IN WARDS TO THAT. >> I THINK SHE DOING AN AMAZING
JOB. NO PRESIDENT IN HISTORY HAS HAD
THE MEDIA ATTACKS THAT THIS PRESIDENT HAS HAD.
YOU HAVE THEM TURN OUT STORIES AGAINST THE PRESIDENT.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE 30 REPORTERS DOING THAT AGAINST BARACK OBAMA.
THE DATA SHOWS THAT THE THIS IS AMAZING CONSIDERING THE ON SLAUT
YOU HAVE PUT HIM THROUGH. I THINK YOU CAN CRITICIZE THE
PRESIDENT. >> I WANT TO GO BACK TO SOME OF
YOUR CRITICISM OF THE TEAM. DO YOU THINK HE IS THINKING
ABOUT A SHAKE UP. >> THE NEXT PERSON TO ASK THAT
IS TRUMP. I DON'T SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF.
I CAN TELL YOU ONLY WHAT I THINK MY VIEW IS.
THERE IS SIGNIFICANT WEAKNESS THERE.
THE PRESIDENT REALLY NEEDS TO HAVE A VOICE THAT REPRESENTS
HIM. I THINK HE IS RIGHT ON THAT.
>> DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD SHAKE UP SOME OF HIS STAFF?
>> ONE MORE POINT ON MUELLER BEFORE WE GO ON.
I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS TO GET TO WITH YOU.
THE PRESIDENT HAS FIRED MICHAEL FLYNN, JAMES COMEY.
SHOULD ROBERT MUELLER FEEL SAFE IN HIS JOB?
>> THE DAY BEFORE MULER WAS APPOINTED SPECIAL COUNCIL, HE
MET WITH THE PRESIDENT THAT WAS SPEAKING WITH THE MAN WHO MADE
HIM FBI DIRECTOR. IT SEEMS HE SHOULD HAVE
DISCLOSED THAT IMMEDIATELY TO SEE, I THINK THERE IS A REAL
CONFLICT AND THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO SEE THIS AS A AGENDA GETTING THE
PRESIDENT -- NOBODY IN THE WHITE HOUSE HAS EVER HE NEEDSED --
NEEDED. IT S A CONSTANT STRAIN ABOUT THE
WHITE HOUSE MISSING SOMETHING. >> I ABOUT ROBERT MUELLER IS
SECURE IN HIS JOB? >> I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A
JUDGMENT, BUT HE WAS APPOINTED SPECIAL COUNCIL WITHOUT ANY
LEGAL BASIS. IT SAYS THERE HAS TO BE AN
UNDERLYING PROBE. I DO THINK IT IS A GOOD POINT,
BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO HAVE A FULL DISCLOSURE OF THE
FACTS HERE.
WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE OF IT? THEY KEEP SAYING THE
INVESTIGATIVE AGENCIES ARE SAYING THERE IS NO COLLUSION,
BUT YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF WHY DO THEY KEEP HIRING PROSECUTORS.
>> LET'S GET TO THE INVESTIGATION, THE FOCUS TODAY,
I KNOW BASED ON MY REPORTING THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY
FRUSTRATED. DO YOU THINK IT WAS THE WRONG
MOVE? >> I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THE
PRESIDENT ABOUT IT, BUT MY VIEW THAT SESSIONS SHOULD NOT HAVE
RESCUESED HIMSELF. THERE WAS NO UNDER -- WHAT ABOUT
WHEN HE HEADS INTO THIS CRITICAL SYSTEM?
>> I'M NOT PRIVY TO WHAT THE NATURE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP IS.
>> DO YOU THINK THE PRESIDENT THINKS HE HAS JEFF SESSION'S
LOYALTY? >> I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THE
PRESIDENT ON THAT, SO I CAN'T COMMENT ON THAT.
>> ONE FINAL POINT, DOES THE MERE TALK AND SPECULATION I
THINK THERE IS CONSTANT INCREASES.
AND WHEN THE PRESIDENT SAYS HEY, WE'RE BEING SUBJECT TO THIS, N,
I THINK THESE THINGS KEEP GROWING AND THE MEDIA KEEPS
FOCUSING ON THESE STORIES. CHINA HOPED UP THEIR MARKETS FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS. HE JUST BROUGHT A 100 BILLION
DOLLARS -- >> WE COVERED THAT EXTENSIVELY.
>> BUT IT'S NOT GETTING THE AMOUNT OF COVERAGE, AND WE HAVE
A PRESIDENT FOR THE FIRST TIME, EVERY BOARD ROOM IS KEEPING
JOBS, AND I THINK IT IS EXCEPTIONAL.
I KNOW TRUMP'S POE SUS IS MAKING AMERICA ECONOMICALLY STRONG AND

Donald Trump Confidante Chris Ruddy: ‘I Did Not Talk To President’ About Firing Mueller | MSNBC

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