Transcript for The Briefing Room: Sources: Deputy attorney general suggested recording Trump

Everybody you're watching ABC news I'm John Santa key in Washington alongside Justin official it is in the weeklong battle for judge Kavanagh we're gonna jump into that in just a second but we're gonna begin with that bombshell report first reported. By the New York Times and confirmed by ABC news that there is a major crisis right now over the department of justice and involves rod Rosen Stein so. What we were talking about this earlier just in the near times historian we've now confirmed as I said. Is breaking this down what they're saying we now also reported. Is that it was during conversations that Rosen Stein had with the acting director of the FBI Andrew McKay. That he was encouraging McCabe and or others to Wear a wire right in their dealings of president trump and the big one eased that it was Rosen Stein. That was suggesting an ideal allegedly. To invoke the 25 amendment and he believed that he hit two members of the president's cabinet and on board Jeff Sessions. And John Calley if not this actually came to for wish him obviously but it's clear that rose's time from this reporting was totally freaked out about the idea that the president used that wrote that memo that rose's time drafted as his full justification for ratifying coming. I think grosans I knew. That that wasn't the only reason fired Tommy was really freaked out that it was pinned on him. Completely and then he. Elkhart apparently the report he sir throwing ideas at wal. He didn't like the way he was doing interviews to replace coming right taking seriously since Russia go in there and Wear wire yeah he says he wasn't being serious about that hoping and fact. You know he he he's presenting it mores bit of a joke. Yeah and 11 source actually present for one of those meetings told BBC news ready to look north that it was a rhino thought it was in jest is what this source told our Michael Levine. You know is is we just all of this though I mean it is certainly ammunition right at this moment the president. Wants to go after the DOJ go after Jeff Sessions go after rock grosans nine this could be seen in as a. Amateur way what you think about this because as we know he does not need a lot more ammo to attack his Health Department officials. He's had big hang ups with. Rosenthal and so far. Over proving these fights a worn out. You'll remember that Joseph did Janet and I'm not number of his the president's allies were encouraging to fire roads and time after he proved that Colin raid. I mean the president really upset about that the time bomb so. Question yeah it was inevitable it's totally and just want to point out though we've obtained this statement from Robert Eisenstein by the DOJ. And he is flatly denying. The allegations. Is there in this story saying he never had any understanding. On this the times story simply inaccurate factually incorrect I will not further comment on the story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and her dancing their own occasional. Attack had stayed in yes it is. At that it yes it is at an outline categorical denial and I could've gone out there and say. I didn't talk about hoping the 25 man on I zinni album let it is where there's no big east is that he before invoking its own at least Travis in the job for sure why these traps that they've fallen two without that explicit categorical denial it raises some doubt we saw that I mean I remember I always go back to Rex Tillerson who was not able to deny the moron comment and without that clear and explicit and I'll you know him back higher 100% did you want to bring any BC's Jordan felt on this topic and Jordan I. I think we all remember you know it does feel like every day. On the president's attacking the DOJ but it was a state Mimi earlier this weekend interview. That he said I don't have an attorney general referring to Jeff Sessions. Yeah in of course we see that pressing go after his attorney general on the raped me says. We don't see him directly go after rose and Stein the way he dies sessions. But presumably he's up sat wit his entire leadership at the Justice Department. But this is significant because this. All this new recording comes at a time when this president is as you noted is extremely frustrated with this Justice Department so this really. Add ham out that just last night at eight prompt rally that president. I kind of asked the crowd you know sarcastically what do you think of how our Justice Department is dealing. Now I have reached out the White House for reaction to this report so far they are silent. But Jon that day is young we have another prompt rally at last night state hands. While an and I mean already Jordan we're seeing you know loyalists to the president mound bolt sizes that you want to show. He's eldest son Donald Trump junior on who always wages in to this war in defense of his father. Is the tweeting a little earlier saying shocked absolutely shocked all war we kidding at this point. No one is shocked at these guys would you anything in their power to undermine real Donald Trump but. On the flip side of that another voice in the president's ear quite often Lindsay. Ram not using when it comes to president trump. We we're of any thing from the New York Times again I just want to be clear. Because the times actually currently re tweeting ABC's reporting we have matched. A large part of that story and multiple sources I don't know what Lindsey Graham really getting at there. I think that what we're going to see. Is the recommendations to fire pile up we'll and we've mentioned a few. Laura Ingraham being one of them yet but he's got a big decision making sure and if he does fire and find what I finally in things what happens. Who who's next in line in fifth they don't have a number three six sessions totally confused and there's this. The these solicitor general is actually next in line no well Francisco and it's not entirely clear that he would be. More easily swayed by the presence opinions about the fight says in the Russian an investigation being worked out hawk that the president wants though. If not it it it it's a big political resistant virus and find what I mean he the replacement night yeah I'm happy everybody else. A lot here on the pearl latest finishing go to abcnews.com. Right now we have a full story up on the site the team will have much more of it tonight. I'm on world news tonight we dated you appear Thomas leader coverage on that I do want to move on though because it has been the week a judge capital what is happening up on Capitol Hill. It sounds like every second we're getting hit development we're not sure where this is going right now but I do want to bring someone that knows a heck of a lot of plus combined times to. And that's our colleague Trish turner she's been. Following this from the get go Hughes the air for the multiple hours confirmation hearings and potentially Trace more hearings next week. A joy. And that's really outlined FL that we it's been a week full of cabin on its Treo and literally we are stalking the halls for every development. It and it seems like at the developments change moment to moment. So you know the latest is that Republicans. After a conference call together committee Republicans this morning they decided to make what what essentially is being called a counter offer. Two doctor forward and her attorneys that through her attorneys. So. She apparently suffers from claustrophobia we understand and say she is driving. I'm from California to DC. This we're told is a bit bit part of the trauma that that is that she claims that to have suffered. From this incident 36 years ago so anyways so Republicans have said look we want you don't hear instead of Thursday that we her lawyers have present and they wants cuts for it to Republicans want her to appear on Wednesday they're anxious to get this. Get this moving fact we heard from. The majority leader today it's time for a vote he's ready to get the scout. Wall and and one of those Republicans are really wants to get moving is the president he spoke to fox news's Sean Hannity. Last night let's take a listen to what he had to say. See what's going on is is just very very sad you say. Why didn't somebody called the FBI 36 years ago I mean you could also say when did this all happened what's going on. Now he easy even come out stronger since that exchange and Hannity he tweeted early this morning even saying just in that if there were any documents records about this plan out there and even went as far as to say. That you know invoking her loving parents and he's at it this steadily ratcheted up to allowing we hadn't seen. The tweet is actually part of the fact check them doing today he says quote I have no doubt. That if the attack on doctor Ford was as bad as she says charges would have been made me it immediately been filed with the law enforcement authorities. Or by her loving parents. Om he should have doubt. That a fifteen year old girl when that. Mustered the courage to file a complaint with the police after being sexual so. A sexually assaulted allegedly G you know the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Since it 65%. Of sexual assaults go on reported. Only 23%. Of sexual assaults or rapes were reported to police in 2016 then. This is not a given and this than the president weighed in on this in a really. Powerful way in and an and it's and it's not caught. Overly no not at all and and Trace just before we wrap up here on this topic I mean the other thing we store today here in Washington. Was a large group of women that have worked with the judge both in his career on the bench in the bush White House coming his defense. That's rate one point two your what term Ted has raised a lot of ire Hughes raised the ire of the hire about one. In very important senator Susan Collins. I'm she was really quite taken aback with the president's tweet in his comments so he's and dangerous ground Nash is a critical vote for him. The women I went to this events the women led by Sarah Fagan with the political. Director in the Bush Administration she worked with wreck happened on there right it was a powerful group of women they have known him since high school someone one even dated him briefly she said. And college they've known him through they're still friends at them I mean. It really was pretty powerful some of them were on the edge of tears those are very. Those are in a still his close friends and just so there's no he's more role. In model of the data husband to friends. He's you know stepped into the lurch for them so many times they just don't think there's any conceivable way. That Brett Cavanaugh could have done what he's accused up. And Jordan felt before we move on I mean over the White House right now there is lockstep support. Com bowl the president's team inside a 16100 and on the outside. Right behind Brett Cavanaugh they're not backing down. They're definitely behind Wright have not but the president today notably. Rope from a strategy that a source tells us he privately at brokered with senate majority leader Mitch McConnell. At McConnell had privately requested. That the president according to this source stay out of it and not go after. The not Waechter have nots accuser. But what we saw today with these tweets from the president. When he directly named by the fort for the first time the president has broken with that strategy they started every street is no more this president. It's showing that he's ready to you go out and fight for his nominee one thing that has changed since yesterday is that we now know that Lackey Ford. Is in negotiations. With this and it has set the terms for. Possible testimony snow the president eight seeing that his nominee who it. I really be threatened here and we know that this president when he's backs against the wall he fights back and that's when it appears. He's doing now sell the tweets we saw this morning our break from the strategy of Pryor by. I bet you John that's going to be what we're seeing from the president from here on through through the rest this nomination battle. And Jordan Phelps thank you for that on the would you want to move on though before we leave everybody and that is just. A in the crazy we Daugherty no we have who is that the Kavanagh stuff but. I mean we've got 46 season the terms as they but next week. I'm a busy week for the president and a lot of fun if you're in the city of New York traffic and that is the UN general assembly starting. He's got a busy week up there he got. He's got. He personally chairing. The council on a wrong and that's a big deal grammys renowned reading about that that and he's got you major negotiations ongoing with north South Korea and China. He Kim Jung un is asking each floor and other summits. That's going on in the world. Syria. It is not over. That there are a number of things honestly that we and and the other thing we have looked fortune maybe today will always waiting on Friday anxiously. I'm for fact check official. And his we we're doing we're died we're just doing one fact checked this week and it's about done. Yeah that I'm what I want and I'm well look I call my CM and on and on not making things up here. Om and it is on it is a however on the issue of sexual assault. I think you really see this week but golden Anke seller recording us on the briefing room for just an official I'm Jon San teaching nature download BBC news app for any news any time. You are watching. Or take us the briefing now ABC news. I guess ABC news the Britain.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.