The president told reporters Thursday that he would let the attorney general decide if the special counsel should appear before Congress, backing away from previous comments.
ADVERTISEMENTWASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that it was up to Attorney General William Barr to decide whether special counsel Robert Mueller should testify before Congress, an apparent shift from his weekend position that Mueller should not appear.
The president had said earlier that the attorney general would have final say over whether or not Mueller would offer congressional testimony.
"I am going to leave that up to our very great attorney general," Trump said on Thursday, when asked by reporters in the Roosevelt Room if Mueller should comply with a congressional request to appear. "Bob Mueller is no friend of mine. I had conflicts with him," he added, repeating earlier complaints that the special counsel was biased against him.
Last week, Trump told reporters that he would not stand in the way of a Mueller appearance before Congress, and would leave that decision up to the attorney general. Two days later, however, Trump tweeted "Bob Mueller should not testify," adding: "No redos for the Dems!"
Barr has said he has no objection to congressional testimony by Mueller. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have already made preparations for Mueller to testify later in May.