The New York Times recently obtained the list of questions that special counsel Robert Mueller wants to ask President Trump. Mueller has already provided the list to Trump’s lawyer. The list is at least 48 items long. The questions focus mostly on Russia and whether or not President Trump obstructed justice. There are a few significant events that Mueller’s questions seem to be focused on including the firings of Michael Flynn and James Comey, Trump’s treatment of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and the 2016 Trump towering meeting. It all seems to be an attempt to understand the President’s thinking and the motivation behind of some of Trump’s more combative tweets. Trump’s relationship with his family and closest advisers is a topic of focus in the questions.
What is also interesting is that some of the questions focus on Trump’s businesses. Trump has stated in the past that looking into his finances and enterprises could “cross a red line” and be a reason to fire Mueller. Trump’s Moscow real estate deal and his 2013 trip to Russia for the Miss Universe pageant are both a focus of the questions. Mueller is also curious about Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s attempt to set up a back channel to Russia during the time the Trump administration was replacing the Obama administration. The questions also expand to not only the Trump administration but also the Trump campaign. Questions about Roger J. Stone Jr. and the hacking of the DNC emails are part of the questioning.
President Trump took to Twitter early Tuesday morning to say that it was “disgraceful” that the questions were publicly disclosed. The President also incorrectly said that there were no questions about collusion. The President also claimed that collusion is a “phony” crime. The Mueller investigation has been shrouded in mystery for nearly the year that it was has been going on. These newly released questions provide the first detailed look inside Mr. Mueller’s investigation and direction.
