Acting Attorney General Matthew G. Whitaker “happened to be right” when he criticized the Mueller investigation, President Donald Trump said. | Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo White House Trump wouldn’t stop Whitaker from limiting Russia probe

President Donald Trump says he would not intervene were acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to try to curtail special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

In an interview that aired Sunday on "Fox News Sunday," Trump defended Whitaker's criticism of the Mueller probe. Then, asked whether he would be OK with any attempt by Whitaker to limit the investigation, Trump said, "It's going to be up to him."


"I would not get involved," he said in the interview, taped Friday.

Whitaker is facing calls to recuse himself from the Russia investigation in light of remarks he made as a commentator declaring that Russia did not collude with Trump‘s presidential campaign and echoing Trump's complaint that the inquiry could turn into a "witch hunt."

Trump said he didn't know of Whitaker's views before he was appointed but added: "I don't think it had any effect."

"What do you do when a person’s right?" Trump said. "There is no collusion. He happened to be right."



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