President Trump tweets 'WITCH HUNT' after lawyer Ty Cobb says the president isn't thinking about firing special counsel Robert Mueller - CNBC News

President Trump tweets 'WITCH HUNT' after lawyer Ty Cobb says the president isn't thinking about firing special counsel Robert Mueller
White House lawyer Ty Cobb said on Sunday that President Donald Trump was not considering or discussing firing special counsel Robert Mueller.
Cobb's statement came after Trump earlier Sunday criticized Mueller's probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
On Monday, Trump continued his social-media onslaught against the Mueller probe by again calling it a "witch hunt."
Mike Calia | @Michael_Calia
Published 8:37 PM ET Sun, 18 March 2018  Updated 18 Hours Ago
CNBC.com
 President Donald Trump waves as he arrives to speak in support of Republican congressional candidate Rick Sacconne during a Make America Great Again rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, U.S., March 10, 2018. Trump vents anger towards Mueller investigation 
20 Hours Ago | 03:40
White House lawyer Ty Cobb said on Sunday that President Donald Trump was not considering or discussing firing special counsel Robert Mueller – even after the president directly lashed out at Mueller's probe during the weekend.

The lawyer's assurance wasn't likely to assuage concerns that the president would act against the special counsel, however. On Monday, Trump continued his social-media onslaught against the Mueller probe by again calling it a "witch hunt."

@realDonaldTrump
A total WITCH HUNT with massive conflicts of interest!

12:07 AM - Mar 20, 2018

The president's latest attack on Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election came soon after he promoted, in a tweet, Fox News host Sean Hannity's upcoming appearance on "Fox and Friends," a favorite of Trump's. Hannity would go on to say: "The only person that colluded in that campaign, with the Russians, was Hillary Clinton."

Cobb's statement Sunday night came after hours after Trump tweeted criticism of Mueller's investigation. On Saturday, John Dowd, one of Trump's personal lawyers representing him in the Russia probe, called for a quick end to Mueller's investigation.

"I pray that Acting Attorney General Rosenstein will follow the brilliant and courageous example of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and bring an end to alleged Russia Collusion investigation manufactured by McCabe's boss James Comey based upon a fraudulent and corrupt Dossier," Dowd wrote in a statement provided to CNBC. The Daily Beast first reported it Saturday morning.

The president followed suit over the weekend with a series of tweets targeting Mueller's probe, fired FBI Director James Comey and the recently fired former FBI deputy director, Andrew McCabe.

18 Mar

@realDonaldTrump
The Fake News is beside themselves that McCabe was caught, called out and fired. How many hundreds of thousands of dollars was given to wife’s campaign by Crooked H friend, Terry M, who was also under investigation? How many lies? How many leaks? Comey knew it all, and much more!

@realDonaldTrump
The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime. It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT!

11:12 AM - Mar 18, 2018

@realDonaldTrump
Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added...does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!

11:35 PM - Mar 18, 2018

Dowd's statement and Trump's subsequent tweets set off renewed speculation that the president might fire the special council. Even some Republicans voiced their concern over the matter.

Firing Mueller "would be the beginning of the end of his presidency," said Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Republican Sen. John McCain, a frequent Trump critic, tweeted that Mueller should be able to complete his investigation "unimpeded."

@SenJohnMcCain
Special Counsel Mueller has served our country with honesty and integrity. It’s critical he be allowed to complete a thorough investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election — unimpeded.

8:25 AM - Mar 19, 2018
Sunday night, however, Cobb, another of the president's attorneys, sought to tamp down speculation that Trump would move soon to fire Mueller.

"In response to media speculation and related questions being posed to the administration, the White House yet again confirms that the President is not considering or discussing the firing of the Special Counsel, Robert Mueller," Cobb said.

Reuters, The Associated Press and CNBC's Valerie Block and Javier David contributed to this report.