The president clearly considers this investigation to be a waste of time. He is wrong. Unless and until his administration is cleared of wrongdoing, his agenda will be hamstrung by allegations that his victory was the result of meddling by one of America’s most complex frenemies. This is not one of the passing controversies of the campaign, it is a millstone on the scale of Watergate. An investigation does not imply guilt, but attempting to stymie an investigation does. The president should appoint a special prosecutor with vast resources and keep silent on the process until the results are announced. It is the best and only hope for his next three and a half years in office.

Amid the furore following Comey’s firing, the president’s other largest problem was made manifest in absence: Trump’s lieutenants were nowhere to be found. It was hours before the first appeared on television to defend the decision. This was a blunder of monumental proportions, formed by the erroneous belief that Comey’s firing would enjoy bipartisan support. Presidents do not have the luxury of interacting with the public very often, and so are reliant upon their advisors for some understanding of the national zeitgeist. Clearly, the president is being badly advised.