On Tuesday, Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy doubled down on his claim that Trump “considered” firing special counsel Robert Mueller but admitted he didn’t speak to
Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy doubled down on his claim Tuesday that Donald Trump “considered” firing special counsel Robert Mueller but admitted he didn’ t speak to the president personally about the matter.
Media outlets have been scrambling since Ruddy made the initial claim to PBS on Monday that Trump considered firing Mueller.
Ruddy spoke to Kristen Welker on MSNBC Tuesday and refused to reveal what “sources” in the White House told him that Trump was considering letting Mueller go, but confirmed that it wasn’ t the president himself.
“I did not talk to the president about the issue, ” Ruddy said. “I do not believe he will fire [Mueller] … I do believe it was considered as an option.”
“Is it an active option?” Welker asked.
“Look, you should really speak to the White House, ” Ruddy declared. “I just told you what I knew.”
Welker pushed back, telling Ruddy, “you did raise this issue so I just want to nail down — why do you feel confident it was an option?”
“I’ ve already said I’ m not going to reveal who my sources are but that I felt confident in saying it and that it was also consistent with what the president’s own attorney said, ” Ruddy responded.
Ruddy also explained that press secretary Sean Spicer reached out to him hoping he would clarify he never spoke to Trump on the issue.
“I never claimed that I had spoken with the president, ” Ruddy said.
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