Trump Continues Saying "No Collusion With Russia" While Preparing For Summit With North Korea
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) -- A new confidential memo from the President Donald Trump's lawyers explains why he may not be forced to testify before the special counsel.
This comes as the president and his team are preparing for a historic summit with North Korea.
While at Camp David, Trump tweeted "there was No Collusion with Russia…" asking, "Is the Special Counsel / Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media?"
Shortly thereafter, The New York Times posted what it describes as a confidential twenty-page document from the president's legal team in January, responding to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's questions.
John Dowd and Jay Sekulow provide the outline of a potential defense, should the sitting president be compelled to testify.
They suggest, as president, Trump cannot obstruct justice since he has the authority to terminate the investigation and use his pardon power "if he so desired."
They also imply "corruption within the FBI" triggered the Russia probe, and say "the president is not readily available to be interviewed."
Speaking to reporters last week, the president's newly appointed lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, railed against the inquiry, and pushed Mueller to make his findings public.
"I don't think he's gonna fire Mueller. Mueller is creating his own problems," Giuliani said. "Interview or no interview, by September 1st, the public should have an explanation of what Mueller has. I really want that because I don't think he has much."
Meanwhile, Trump is preparing for a newly revived one-on-one meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which will take place in Singapore on June 12.
"I think you're gonna have a very positive result in the end, not from one meeting," Trump said.
His lawyers have argued the ongoing Russia investigation is a distraction from the president's important work.
