President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE's new acting attorney general reportedly has no plans to recuse himself from overseeing the special counsel's investigation into Russian election interference, despite lawmaker calls for him to do so.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Washington Post, citing multiple people familiar with the matter, reported on Thursday that Matthew Whitaker does not intend to recuse himself from overseeing Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE's probe.

The sources also said they do not believe Whitaker would approve a subpoena of President Trump as part of the probe, the Post reported.

Trump announced on Wednesday that Whitaker would serve as acting attorney general after Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE resigned at the president's request. Whitaker comes into the role after serving as Sessions's chief of staff.

Whitaker in the past has made public comments critical of Mueller's investigation, including in an op-ed in The Hill, causing Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerSenate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' Jacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee MORE (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare House lawmakers reach deal to avert shutdown Centrist Democrats 'strongly considering' discharge petition on GOP PPP bill MORE (D-Calif.) to call for him to recuse himself from overseeing the probe.

Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump, GOP allies prepare for SCOTUS nomination this week Trump meets with potential Supreme Court pick Amy Coney Barrett at White House Names to watch as Trump picks Ginsburg replacement on Supreme Court MORE (D-W.Va.) said Thursday that it concerns him a figure who has “been so vocal against the investigation” is now overseeing it.

"Looking like it's been tilted one way or the other is wrong,” he said.

The Post notes that ethics officials in the DOJ will likely review Whitaker’s past work to evaluate if he has any conflicts of interest related to the investigation.

In most cases, the ethics office will suggest a course of action for an official take. However, they are rarely required to follow its advice, according to The Post.

The Department of Justice declined to comment to The Hill.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinDOJ kept investigators from completing probe of Trump ties to Russia: report Five takeaways from final Senate Intel Russia report FBI officials hid copies of Russia probe documents fearing Trump interference: book MORE had been overseeing Mueller’s investigation since early 2017 after Sessions officially recused himself.

Trump, who has repeatedly called Mueller’s probe a “witch hunt,” had consistently criticized Sessions for that decision.

Before joining Sessions’ staff in 2017, Whitaker was outspoken in his criticism of the Russia investigation.

“Mueller has come up to a red line in the Russia 2016 election-meddling investigation that he is dangerously close to crossing," Whitaker wrote in an op-ed for CNN in August 2017.

It is unclear if Rosenstein will step aside from his role in helping oversee the investigation, The Post noted. A Justice Department spokeswoman previously told The Hill that the acting attorney general is "in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice."

-Updated 12:45 p.m.