I predict that Donald Trump will not fire Robert Mueller; nor will he ask the Department of Justice to terminate the investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 election. His primary motive always has been to attack governmental institutions and the media, thus undermining the eventual findings of the Mueller investigation. This, I suggest, will allow Trump, contrary to his current claim that he “would like to” testify, eventually to declare that he refuses to testify because the entire matter is both a sham and politically motivated. No doubt he will continue to reference the conclusion of the Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee, that there is no evidence of collusion between Trump’s campaign and the Russians. Trump may also say that, while he would like to be interviewed by Mueller, his legal team advised him not to.
So, at the end of the day, there will be a legal battle that is resolved by the Supreme Court. Given the current composition of the court, there is no guarantee that Trump would be forced to testify. It is also possible that the president will take the Fifth, refusing to answer questions. The issue in this scenario is: What would happen then?
It is even clearer now that the 2018 elections will matter, perhaps providing the only effective check on Trump.
Richard Cherwitz
Austin, Texas
