President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE knocked former 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 on Friday and Saturday after he struck a deal with the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees to give extended testimony.

The July 24 testimony will help illuminate Mueller’s report into Russia's election interference and potential obstruction of justice by Trump for a nationally televised audience.

Seeking to preempt the appearance, the president turned to Judicial Watch, a conservative advocacy group, to hit at the former special counsel.

“This is one of the most horrible abuses of all. Those texts between gaga lovers would have told the whole story. Illegal deletion by Mueller,” Trump tweeted Saturday morning, quoting a video from Judicial Watch founder Tom Fitton accusing Mueller of a “HUGE” cover-up.

This is one of the most horrible abuses of all. Those texts between gaga lovers would have told the whole story. Illegal deletion by Mueller. They gave us “the insurance policy.” https://t.co/EEa41Kn6fX — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2019

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Trump was referring to missing text messages between former investigators Lisa Page and Peter Strzok, two FBI agents who were involved in a romantic relationship, in which they bashed the president during the 2016 campaign.

Strzok was swiftly removed from Mueller’s team after the texts were unearthed, and a Justice Department investigation found that while the messages did go missing for a time, their absence was attributed to a technical error rather than any malicious intent.

The president retweeted several of Judicial Watch’s messages, including one that said the Mueller probe was “part of an effort to remove the president from office improperly.”

Trump also promoted Fox News host Sean Hannity Sean Patrick HannityFormer Florida attorney general calls Kyle Rittenhouse 'a little boy out there trying to protect his community' Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Cruz: Trump should nominate a Supreme Court justice next week MORE’s special Friday night bashing Mueller after the agreement for testimony was agreed upon.

Mueller’s July 24 appearance will feature a three-hour testimony before the Judiciary panel and a two-hour testimony before the Intelligence panel. The agreement, which pushed the testimony back a week, was reached to allow every member of the Judiciary Committee to question the former special counsel.

“All members — Democrats and Republicans — of both committees will have a meaningful opportunity to question the Special Counsel in public, and the American people will finally have an opportunity to hear directly from Mr. Mueller about what his investigation uncovered,” Rep. Jerry Nadler Jerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerDemocrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court Schumer: 'Nothing is off the table' if GOP moves forward with Ginsburg replacement Top Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence MORE (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the Judiciary Panel, and Rep. Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffSchiff claims DHS is blocking whistleblower's access to records before testimony GOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power Rubio on peaceful transfer of power: 'We will have a legitimate & fair election' MORE (D-Calif.), the chairman of the Intelligence panel, said.

While the hearing will allow Democrats to underline some of the more unsavory details about Trump’s conduct contained in the Mueller report, it’s revised timing just before the August recess will likely blunt a potential avalanche of calls for impeachment hearings stemming from the hearing.