Russia probe makes US ‘look very bad’: Donald Trump | World News - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Russia probe makes US ‘look very bad’: Donald Trump

Agence France-Presse, Washington | ByAgence France-Presse, Washington
Dec 29, 2017 09:33 AM IST

The US president says he was not concerned about the ongoing investigation as “everybody knows” there was no Russian collusion.

US President Donald Trump Thursday said he believes the probe into Russian meddling in the US election “makes the country look very bad,” according to The New York Times.

US President Donald Trump.(AP File Photo)
US President Donald Trump.(AP File Photo)

Speaking to the newspaper, Trump said he believes special counsel Robert Mueller will treat him fairly -- a view in contrast with recent attacks on Mueller’s credibility from Republicans, who have pressed for a new independent prosecutor to investigate anti-Trump bias.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

“It makes the country look very bad, and it puts the country in a very bad position,” Trump told the Times. “So the sooner it’s worked out, the better it is for the country.”

The president added that he was not concerned about the ongoing investigation -- which his lawyers insisted would be finished by Thanksgiving -- as “everybody knows” there was no Russian collusion.

“There’s been no collusion. But I think he’s going to be fair,” Trump said of Mueller.

He repeated the allegations were invented by Democrats “as a hoax, as a ruse, as an excuse for losing an election,” the Times reported.

Trump also distanced himself from ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was indicted in October in the first legal action stemming from the investigation.

“He worked for me for -- what was it, three and a half months?” he told the Times, mentioning Manafort’s connections to other Republicans including John McCain and Ronald Reagan.

According to the newspaper, Trump added it was “too bad” that Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from overseeing the probe -- pointing out that although he did not want to “get into loyalty,” Barack Obama’s first attorney general, Eric Holder Jr, “totally protected him.”

Meanwhile, questioned on the re-opening of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails, Trump maintained focus on the collusion probe.

He told the Times that “for purposes of hopefully thinking I’m going to be treated fairly, I’ve stayed uninvolved with this particular matter.”

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! - Login Now!

Get Latest World News along with Latest News from India at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On