WILL TRUMP FIRE MUELLER?

To date there is nothing in the behavior of Donald J. Trump that would suggest that he won’t fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller. To date the only behaviors he has manifested are narcissism, lying, self aggrandizement, low frustration tolerance, bullying, hubris, inability to listen and strategize or foresee long term consequences of his actions. Self advancement and preservation are key at any price. While Mr. Trump may have had some success as an entrepreneur and an entertainer his personality and actions spell self destruction for a President who is subject to checks and balances. 

Why should he hold back just because he is being counseled that firing Mueller is counterproductive, politically suicidal and could throw the country into a constitutional crisis? He was similarly advised in connection with FBI Director Comey but still went ahead. He concocted an elaborate cover up as to why Comey was let go then arrogantly countered his own narrative, both on national television and ironically to the Russian Foreign Minister, by admitting that the motive was the Russian investigation. 

MUELLER’S DECISION SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE.

Mueller’s decision should not come as a surprise as the hearings in Congress laid out the prima facie case for the investigation. Trump, in the teeth of bipartisan hearings, that had accepted the grave consequences of the unanimous intelligence assessment that the Russians had attempted to interfere in the American elections in his favor, consistently challenged that finding, still labelling it a “phony story”. He persistently smeared the investigation as a witch hunt cooked up by the Democrats. He publicly minimized suspicious and hidden contacts that his campaign operatives had had with the Russians. He then sought to protect his National Security Advisor Michael Flynn despite a spate of warnings including those from the outgoing President and the FBI. 

In short, for whatever reason, the POTUS sought to downplay what any responsible citizen interpreted as war like behavior of a regime that has been in conflict with America for decades and is currently being sanctioned by the United States. In so doing the President unambiguously signaled that he wanted the probe stopped. He then fired Comey to effect its termination.

What followed was Comey’s credible detailed laying out of a case of obstruction of justice. Trump’s pressure was unprecedented, ongoing and prolonged over four months. Most significantly in Comey’s story there were ample leads for corroboration - those that he had contemporaneously shared the events with as well as those were cleared from a room so that the President could speak privately to the former FBI Director. 

Then there were the appearances at the Senate Intelligence Hearing of Director of National Intelligence, Coates and Director of the National Security, Rogers both of whom who refused to answer the question as to whether they had been asked to intervene in stopping the Russian scrutiny. It had been reported that the Directors had been approached by Trump. They are some of those on Mueller’s list to be interviewed. It is also fair to say that Attorney General Sessons in his appearance at the investigative hearing did nothing to help the Trump cause.

It has subsequently been learned that Comey’s firing, per se, prompted the opening of an obstruction of justice investigation long before the evidence produced at the hearings and Mueller’s appointment. 

TRUMP IS WARNED NOT TO FIRE MUELLER

Now Trump’s close friend, Christopher Ruddy of Newsmax has already floated that the POTUS was considering firing Mueller. This was before the Post’s story broke as was a Whitehouse press briefing where Sarah Huckabee Sanders maintained that although Trump had the right to fire Mueller he was not going to. So even before the report of Mueller’s expansion of his investigation it was reported that Trump had been persuaded to hold back on axing the Special Counsel.

In the wake of all of this it has been telegraphed to Trump to lay off Mueller. Both the Republican leaders of the House and Senate have broadcast loud and clear their faith and support of the Special Counsel. The Congressional hearings have revved up members to the extent that the Senate voted ninety seven to two to increase sanctions on Russia as a result of their interference into American democracy. In short order Trump will be asked to sign or veto legislation increasing sanctions on his newest best friend. 

Trump cannot fire Mueller directly he has to instruct the Department of Justice to do the dirty. The head of that department is Attorney General Sessons who has testified that he could not do that as he has recused himself from the Russian investigation. That leaves Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein who would be seconded to let go Special Counsel Mueller. He too however has given evidence to the Senate Intelligence Committee that there is no way he would comply. The Donald would have to find some one in that Department to do his bidding and no doubt he will.

So getting rid of Mueller will be a messy and lonely business. 

TRUMP’S RESPONSE IS NO SURPRISE EITHER

Predictably Trump’s lawyer lashed out at the Washington Post that reported Mueller’s widening of his Russian enquiry to include evaluating whether the President has obstructed justice. Trump’s legal counsel followed the well worn path that the issue was not Trump’s situation but rather the “illegal” leaking of it. He served notice that Trump was going to turn this into a fight against the FBI. Trump when he finds himself in a corner doubles the anti and lashes out at his “attackers”. 

So the fact that he is going to be on his own if he fires Mueller would not deter The Donald from doing just that. He enjoys the victim role and he has boasted for years now that he walks on water. He can take them all on like he has done all along - Republicans and Democrats alike. His loyal mob will be behind him. Those Republicans who cross him will bear the consequences at the polls, he fantasizes. As he said from the word go, the system is rigged against those not part of the swamp and he is the people’s candidate. He has maintained that the intelligence agencies are controlled by Obama and sour grapes Clinton who lost an election, “that everyone said she should have won”. One fact is for sure Trump will not leave quietly, “believe me”. He will bring down the house with him. 

Ironically, if he hangs in there and assists Mueller in every way with his investigation he still has a chance to survive. It still needs to be proved that Trump acted with corrupt intent. If he behaves the Republican House Majority could vote against a referral by the Special Counsel to impeach him. It needs no reminding that no President has been impeached when his own Party was in the majority. It is hard to see Trump playing it out that way. If there is one certainty it is that a characteristic of the POTUS”S personality is that he does not learn from past behavior. If he had not fired Comey, against wise counsel, he would not have to deal with a far more respected and influential “opponent” Mueller. That is a lesson that he needs to prove he has finally learned. 

THE MOTIVE? 

To date Trump’s possible motive for his love of Putin and the Russians and his sustained opposition to investigating their interference in the elections is not out there front and center. All that is clear are his clumsy autocratic and “illegal’ moves to sabotage the enquiry. The Post story states that Mueller is also looking into subjects such as money laundering. The as yet uncorroborated Steele report detailed possible money issues that linked the POTUS to the Russians. The conspiracy theorists can have a field day linking all this to his refusal to present his income tax.returns. Well documented stories have noted contacts his operatives have had with Russian oligarchs and banks.

Whatever Trump’s reason for this self destructive behavior it has to be all important.

AT THE END OF THE DAY

As matters stand it is question of time before Trump pulls the trigger. It is not in his DNA just to continue smearing the FBI and Mueller he needs to act. If he does he could unleash violence on a scale never witnessed before. Already the daily news is punctuated by mass shootings which have become a way of life in America. This scenario widened to another dimension with a political attack this week. High power weapons can be purchased far more easily than a motor car resulting in a country armed to the gills. Trump is currently being sued in Federal Court for inciting a riot at one of his rallies. At another campaign rally he warned that Hillary Clinton could pick gun control Judges claiming that then “nothing you can do folks - Although Second Amendment People, maybe there is I don’t know”. This statement was widely interpreted as an invitation to violence. 

It is not an exaggeration to claim that the country is in unchartered waters and its very Foundation is being challenged like never before since the Civil War. It is Trump versus the Constitution. 

One can only pray that Trump had a Damascus Moment on the occasion of his seventy - first birthday on June 13 and will finally fulfill the prophesy of his faithful followers that he would eventually become Presidential.