The notion that President Donald Trump might dismiss Robert Mueller earned a frosty reception from Paul Ryan. Ryan: Trump should 'let Robert Mueller do his job'

Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday delicately warned Donald Trump against firing special counsel Robert Mueller, encouraging the president to let the ex-FBI director “do his job” probing the Russia controversy.

The Wisconsin Republican, speaking to reporters during a news conference, cast doubt on reports that Trump is considering axing Mueller, adding that he has full “confidence” in Mueller.


"I think the best advice is to let Robert Mueller do his job," Ryan said, arguing that an independent investigation would allow Trump to be “vindicated” when an investigation clears him.

Chris Ruddy, a friend of the president's who runs the conservative website Newsmax, said Monday on PBS that Trump was "considering perhaps terminating" Mueller, who was appointed last month as a special prosecutor to oversee an investigation into the Russian government's interference in last year's election and the possibility of collusion between the Kremlin and Trump associates.

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In a statement, press secretary Sean Spicer said Ruddy, who was at the White House Monday, did not discuss Mueller with the president. Trump’s outside legal team, which has taken over for White House staff in handling all matter related to the Russia probe, has refused to rule out the possibility that the president might fire Mueller.

The notion that Trump might dismiss Mueller also earned a frosty reception from Ryan Tuesday morning during a radio interview.

“I'd be surprised if he did that,” Ryan told Guy Benson, the fill-in host for conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. “I think he should let Bob Mueller do his job, do his job independently, and do his job quickly, because I think that that's what he would want to have happen.”

Mueller’s hiring initially earned almost unanimous praise, even from those in Trump’s corner, but the move’s luster has seemingly begun to fade for some of the president’s most staunch supporters. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a high-profile campaign surrogate for the president, initially wrote on Twitter that Mueller was a “superb choice” whose “reputation is impeccable for honesty and integrity.”

But by Monday, Gingrich had changed his mind on Mueller, writing online that “Republicans are delusional if they think the special counsel is going to be fair,” pointing to FEC reports showing that the special counsel has hired staff who donated to Democrat Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Conservative commentator Ann Coulter, too, said Muelller should be fired since former FBI Director James Comey testified last week that the president was not under investigation while he was at the bureau.

Outside the circle of GOP commentators, Mueller’s support seemingly remained intact. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Monday that it would be a “disaster” if Trump were to fire the special prosecutor, while his colleague, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), said such a move would be “extraordinarily unwise.”

Ryan echoed those sentiments, adding that allowing Mueller to work unfettered would ultimately be to the president’s benefit.

“I think we should let Bob Mueller do his work and get to the bottom of it, and get to the bottom of it quickly so that he can be vindicated, get to these things,” the speaker said on the radio program. “Let's not forget what this is originally all about. Russia is up to no good. Russia is trying to meddle into our elections.”

CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to reflect that Chris Ruddy had not spoken to the president.