Senate Republicans are shooting down the possibility of defunding the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller.

Several GOP senators said on Tuesday that they wouldn't support a move to crack down on Mueller's investigation, which is looking at Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

"I would not support that. He needs to continue to investigate. I have confidence in Bob Mueller," Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeJeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Republican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden Maybe they just don't like cowboys: The president is successful, some just don't like his style MORE (R-Ariz.) told reporters.

Sen. Roy Blunt Roy Dean BluntThis week: Supreme Court fight over Ginsburg's seat upends Congress's agenda McConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Murkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election MORE (Mo.), a member GOP leadership, noted he's not "concerned" that lawmakers would try to defund Mueller, but added, "I'm also not for it."

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Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainBiden's six best bets in 2016 Trump states Replacing Justice Ginsburg could depend on Arizona's next senator The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy MORE (R-Ariz.), who like Flake has been a vocal critic of the president, said that he would "oppose [that] and so would the American people."

The focus on Mueller's funding comes amid reports that former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon urged President Trump to take a more aggressive stance against the investigation, including urging Republicans to cut off funding for the special counsel's office.

Sources close to Bannon denied to The Hill that he has spoken to Trump about Mueller. Those same sources added that Bannon does want to see the president draw more attention to the special counsel's funding.

Mueller announced the first charges in his investigation on Monday, unsealing a 12-count indictment against former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his businesses associate, Richard Gates.

But any push to defund Mueller appears unlikely to gain traction in Congress, where Mueller, a former FBI director, is widely respected.

Senate GOP leadership has been wary of wading into Mueller's probe and would likely need 60 votes to limit or nix his funding.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Trump puts Supreme Court fight at center of Ohio rally The Memo: Dems face balancing act on SCOTUS fight MORE (R-Ky.), asked about the charges against Manafort on Tuesday, said "the special counsel has his job to do."

Though Mueller's probe is overseen by the Justice Department, the investigation is funded out of a permanent Treasury Department account.

That would give lawmakers the option of inserting a rider into an appropriations bill or passing a stand-alone bills to limit that funding.

Sen. Richard Shelby Richard Craig ShelbySenate GOP eyes early exit Dems discussing government funding bill into February GOP short of votes on Trump's controversial Fed pick MORE (R-Ala.), a member of the Appropriations Committee, added that he hadn't heard of any push to go after Mueller's office.

"My basic philosophy is once you have an independent counsel you ought to give them a chance to follow the facts," he said.

Mueller has to turn over a report to the Justice Department on his expenses. Sen. John Kennedy John Neely KennedyMORE (R-La.) noted he would keep an eye on the spending but didn't want to impede Mueller.

"I don't want to deny the Justice Department or the special counsel the resources they need. Now I don't want to see them just go hog wild and waste money either, but I don't want to try to do anything to hurt [them]," he said.

Jonathan Easley contributed.