Trump has Mueller in sights

Special Counsel Robert Muller was appointed by Deputy Attorney-General Rod Rosenstein. Photo / AP

US President said to be considering firing special counsel into Russia probe.

A close personal friend of Donald Trump has raised the politically explosive possibility that the US President could take action to fire Robert Mueller, the recently appointed special counsel tasked with looking into Russian meddling in last year's election and potential collusion with the Trump campaign.

"I think he's considering perhaps terminating the special counsel," Christopher Ruddy said during an appearance on PBS. "I think he's weighing that option."

Ruddy, who is chief executive of Newsmax Media and a member of Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, confirmed his view in a text message to the Washington Post but did not elaborate. Ruddy told PBS that he thinks it would be "a very significant mistake" for Trump to seek Mueller's termination.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said: "Chris Ruddy speaks for himself".

Ruddy appears to have based his assessment on public comments made by a member of Trump's personal legal team.

On ABC News, Jay Sekulow said he was "not going to speculate" on whether the President might order the firing of Mueller. But Sekulow added that he "can't imagine the issue is going to arise". On PBS, Ruddy said that Trump's consideration of moving to fire Mueller was "pretty clear by what one of his lawyers said on television recently". Trump ally, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, had earlier tweeted that it was time to "rethink" Mueller's ability to be fair.

CNN reporter Jim Acosta tweeted: "Source close to Trump says the president 'is being advised by many people' NOT to fire special prosecutor Robert Mueller".

Democrat Adam Schiff, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, reacted: "If President fired Bob Mueller, Congress would immediately re-establish independent counsel and appoint Bob Mueller. Don't waste our time." Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said firing Mueller "would be a disaster".

Trump does have the authority to remove the special counsel. Muller was appointed by Deputy Attorney-General Rod Rosenstein, and Trump could order Rosenstein to fire him or he could order that regulations that govern the appointment be repealed and then fire Mueller himself. Such an action, though, would be politically perilous. Former President Richard Nixon's attempt to remove a special prosecutor during his tenure led to the resignations of two top Justice Department officials amid the Watergate scandal.

Rosenstein is in an awkward position. He was scheduled to testify before two congressional hearings today and was likely to face even more pointed questions about the Russia probe and the independence of the Justice Department. Attorney-General Jeff Sessions was also scheduled today to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Sessions has recused himself from the Russian probe, a move that gave Rosenstein the authority to appoint a special counsel.