Republican lawmakers on Sunday grappled with the potential need to protect special counsel 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 in light of a report that said President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE called for his firing last year.

Hosts on the Sunday shows questioned lawmakers about the revelations in The New York Times report and what they mean for the investigation into Russia’s election interference and any potential ties between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

Sen. Susan Collins Susan Margaret CollinsMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Most Americans think winner of election should pick next Supreme Court justice: poll Murkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election MORE (R-Maine), a key Republican who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is conducting its own Russia probe, said it “wouldn’t hurt” to pass legislation protecting Mueller.

“It certainly wouldn’t hurt to put that extra safeguard in place given the latest stories,” she told CNN’s “State of the Union.”

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Collins also noted that only 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, who appointed Mueller last year after the firing of former FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE, could fire the special counsel.

Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Will Republicans' rank hypocrisy hinder their rush to replace Ginsburg? Momentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day MORE (R-S.C.), who last year proposed legislation protecting Mueller, said the special counsel should “look at” the Times’s report.

"I don't know if the story is true or not, but I know this: Mueller should look at it," he told ABC's "This Week."

Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is conducting its own Russia probe, also said firing Mueller would end Trump’s tenure.

"I don't know what happened last year, but it's pretty clear to me that everybody in the White House knows it would be the end of President Trump's presidency if he fired Mr. Mueller,” he told ABC.

Some Republicans have criticized the special counsel’s probe over anti-Trump text messages exchanged between an FBI agent and a bureau lawyer who were formerly part of the investigation, arguing the messages reveal an anti-Trump bias within the bureau.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said Sunday he has confidence in the special counsel and that Mueller’s critics should “leave him the hell alone.”

“Mueller didn’t raise his hand and say ‘pick me,’ ” Gowdy told “Fox News Sunday.” “We as a country asked him to do this.”

But one Republican was unwilling to commit to legislation enshrining protections for Mueller. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthyTrump asked Chamber of Commerce to reconsider Democratic endorsements: report The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - White House moves closer to Pelosi on virus relief bill Trump's sharp words put CDC director on hot seat MORE (R-Calif.) said he doesn’t believe a bill shielding Mueller is necessary “right now.”

“If there’s an issue that arise[s], we’ll take it up at that time,” McCarthy told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “But right now, there is not an issue, so why create one when there isn’t a place for it?”

Democrats, meanwhile, were reinvigorated by last week’s report in the Times, which said Trump called for Mueller’s firing, but backtracked when White House counsel Don McGahn threatened to quit.

The revelation provided fodder for Democrats, some of whom have argued the president obstructed justice in the course of the Russia investigation.

But not all Democrats are committed to labeling Trump’s reported call to fire Mueller, or any of his other moves, as obstruction of justice.

Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinNames to watch as Trump picks Ginsburg replacement on Supreme Court Momentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Gardner on court vacancy: Country needs to mourn Ginsburg 'before the politics begin' MORE (D-W.Va.), another member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, refused to join Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in declaring that there is an obstruction of justice case against Trump.

“I haven’t gone down that road, nor am I going to go down that road. I believe in the rule of law and it pertains to all of us,” the West Virginia Democrat told CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“We’re all treated the same. And if any of this has happened it will come out.”

Manchin, who is up for reelection this year in a state Trump won by more than 40 points, said it’s “premature” for Democrats to place provisions safeguarding Mueller in the upcoming budget negotiations.

“I think it’s premature for us to go down that road, too. There’s a process they have to go through,” Manchin told Jake Tapper.

“Mr. Rosenstein would be the first person that I would think — if there’s going to be some movement in that direction — where they’re going to go first. And I think that would give us time to move and act if we need to. I hope it doesn’t come to that. I really do. But we have to wait and see.”

Lawmakers in the upper chamber last year introduced two separate bipartisan bills aimed at protecting Mueller. A bill from Graham and Sen. Cory Booker Cory Anthony BookerBipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility Democratic lawmakers call for an investigation into allegations of medical neglect at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-N.J.) would stipulate that a judge must approve a request from the Justice Department to fire Mueller, or any special counsel. Another bill, proposed by Sen. Thom Tillis Thomas (Thom) Roland TillisMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Will Republicans' rank hypocrisy hinder their rush to replace Ginsburg? Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE (R-N.C.) and Sen. Christopher Coons Christopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsMurkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates MORE (D-Del.), would allow Mueller or any other special counsel to challenge a firing in court.

White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short on Sunday said he had no knowledge of the president ever suggesting he wanted Mueller fired.

“I’m not aware the president ever intimated he wanted to fire Robert Mueller,” Short told “Fox News Sunday."

“Robert Mueller is still the special counsel, Don McGahn is still head of White House counsel, the White House continues to cooperate in every manner, providing every document the special counsel has asked for."

Trump also dismissed the report that he once called for Mueller’s firing as “fake news.”

“Fake news. Fake news. Typical New York Times. Fake stories," the president told reporters in Davos, Switzerland last week.