President Donald Trump dismissed the notion that he was considering firing Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the ongoing Russian investigation.
“I haven’t given it any thought … No, I’m not dismissing anybody,” he replied during a press conference with reporters in Bedminster, New Jersey on Thursday.
The president urged the Mueller team to “get on with the task” of concluding the investigation, denying again that there was collusion between his campaign and Russia.
“We’re working with him,” Trump said. “We have a situation that’s very unusual … there was no collusion between us and Russia.”
The president said he instructed his staff to work with the investigative team, admitting that it was possible that they forgot to file the proper paperwork, but that he was not worried about the investigation’s conclusions.
“We have an investigation of something that never took place,” he said.
Trump ridiculed the notion that Russia had anything to do with his election victory.
“I didn’t win because of Russia, Russia had nothing to do with me winning,” he said. “We had a great team and I guess I did a great job.”
Trump also responded to the news that the FBI raided the home of his former campaign manager Paul Manafort as part of the investigation.
“I know Mr. Manafort. Haven’t spoken to him for a long time, but I know him,” Trump replied.
Trump called Manafort a “decent man” but suggested that he probably made money from consultants “all over the place.”
He admitted that news of the raid was surprising.
“I think that’s pretty tough stuff,” he said.
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