- White House chief of staff John Kelly said President Donald Trump is “embarrassed” by the ongoing investigation by the special counsel Robert Mueller.
- Kelly said the investigation affects Trump’s meetings with world leaders.
- Trump has referred to the probe as a “cloud” and “witch hunt.”
President Donald Trump is “embarrassed” about the investigation by the special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign, White House chief of staff John Kelly said in an interview with NPR.
Speaking to NPR’s “Morning Edition,” Kelly said that although the investigation doesn’t have “any real meat on the bone,” it mars Trump’s reputation and press-heavy dealings, particularly in meetings with world leaders.
“It may not be a cloud but certainly the president is, you know, somewhat embarrassed, frankly,” Kelly said, going on to refer to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Bibi Netanyahu is here and he who’s under investigation himself and it’s like, you know, you walk in and you know the first couple of minutes of every conversation might revolve around that kind of thing.”
Trump has referred to the probe as a “cloud” over his presidency that hindered his “ability to act on behalf of the country,” according to former FBI Director James Comey’s June 2017 testimony.
Trump recently preceded his administration's first state visit by tweeting about the "witch hunt" and accusing Comey of leaking government documents. A joint press conference at the beginning of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit contained a tense moment when a reporter brought up Trump's legal troubles, namely the investigation of his former personal attorney, which Trump called a "stupid question."
Kelly also commented the investigation's year-long lifespan "suggests to me that there is nothing there, relative to our president."
Vice President Mike Pence recently suggested the special counsel Robert Mueller should "wrap up" the year-long investigation.
Read the full interview here >>