Trump-Mueller interview: Pressure builds on US President as special counsel prepares questions over Russia links

Robert Mueller is closing in on his targets

Donald Trump has agreed to be interviewed under oath in the Russia probe (AP)

Eight months and seven days after Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel in the investigation into Russian interference in the US election, Donald Trump has declared he is ready to be questioned on whether or not he was the Muscovite candidate for the White House.

Officials in the Trump administration have been claiming for a long while that the inquiry will have to pack up after finding nothing.

But slowly, methodically and inevitably, Mr Mueller has been closing in on his targets: Mr Trump and some of the people closest to him.

Mr Mueller and his team are not only looking at alleged collusion with the Kremlin on the election, but also Mr Trump’s business affairs including allegations of money from Russian organised crime being laundered and possible obstruction of justice.

The President’s son, Donald Jr, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, remain very much in the firing line.

The most dangerous time yet for this most extraordinary of presidencies is about to unfold. It has emerged that the Mueller team has already interviewed James Comey, the FBI director fired by Mr Trump; Mike Pompeo, the CIA director appointed by Mr Trump; and Jeff Sessions, the Attorney General. Steve Bannon, the former chief strategist, has also agreed to be questioned.

Mr Mueller, it is believed, has supplied the White House with the topics for initial questioning and these seem to be focusing on the issue of obstruction of justice.

The special counsel is said to have made it clear that he is seeking a face-to-face interview with the President rather than written questions and answers.

Mr Comey, it is alleged, was sacked by Mr Trump for refusing to stop investigating links between Michael Flynn, the then National Security Advisor, and the Russians. Mr Trump has always denied any collusion.

Mr Comey’s successor, Christopher Wray, it has been reported, threatened to resign after Mr Sessions, on the instruction of Mr Trump, asked for a purge of senior FBI officials. Mr Pompeo, it has been claimed, was asked by Mr Trump to pressure Mr Comey into dropping the Russia probe.

Mr Sessions himself is said to have been pressurised by Mr Trump to resign over his decision to recuse himself from the Russia inquiry.

Mr Bannon was present when Mr Trump discussed firing Mr Comey and was also there when a misleading statement was prepared about a meeting between Donald Jr, Mr Kushner and Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign manager, and a Russian lawyer.

Mr Trump had insisted last year that he would be “100 per cent willing” to testify to Mr Mueller under oath. But he backtracked from that after allies warned him that he would put himself in legal jeopardy by voluntarily submitting himself to an interview.

However, after so many of his senior staff, past and present, have appeared before the special counsel, or are agreeing to do so, Mr Trump’s room for manoeuvre is limited.

On Wednesday. he said of being questioned, “I would love to do that – I’d like to do it as soon as possible”, adding that his lawyers had told him it would take place in “about two to three weeks”.

But then he added that any interview would be “subject to my lawyers, and all that”.

Ty Cobb, the lead White House lawyer dealing with the investigation, wanted to stress that Mr Trump was speaking hurriedly and only intended to say that he was willing to have a meeting.

Nevertheless, the supposition for now is that the testimony will go ahead. A change of position by Mr Trump refusing a meeting or failing to agree terms could, theoretically, lead to Mr Mueller issuing a subpoena to get the President to appear before a grand jury – a move that would cause a constitutional crisis.

Some of the leads pursued by Mr Mueller’s team have come from simply following up potentially self-incriminating statements made by Mr Trump or Donald Jr.

The President will be accompanied and advised by his lawyers during the interview, but some believe his long history of making false statements and exaggerations would always bring risks.

Sam Buell, a former federal prosecutor, reflected: “The superficial view would be that every day this guy makes stuff as he goes along, so Trump is going to be a terrible witness and he’ll say things that will get him in trouble.”

But, he added: “Trump has experience as a litigant and maybe he understands the game.”

Robert Emerson, a security analyst, said: “Trump is far too much of a loose cannon, he may not be able to resist the urge to boast and score points and in that way lies danger.

“It would make sense for his lawyers to insist on a written Q&A. I can see him having to take the fifth if he testifies.”

Robert Bennett, a highly experienced Washington defence attorney also pointed out the pitfalls: “By talking to the government, you’re running an enormous risk of false statement or perjury.

“You can only let your client testify if you only know he’ll tell the truth.”