Former White House lawyer Ty Cobb stated flatly in an interview discussion that special counsel Robert Mueller's probe isn't a witch hunt.

Cobb made the statement – which rebuts a central claim of President Donald Trump's – during an interview at a CITIZEN Conference Monday, conducted by Gloria Borger, contributor to CNN, which Trump brands 'fake news.'

'I don't think it's a witch hunt,' said Cobb, when asked point blank.

He also had praise both for Mueller and his team of investigators, praising both his Vietnam service (he won a bronze star) and his deliberate focus.

'Bob Mueller is an American hero in my view. He carried – while he was injured, carried one of his fellow soldiers out of harm's way in Vietnam.'

Former White House lawyer Ty Cobb said the Mueller probe was not a 'with hunt'

Professionally: 'He was a very serious prosecutor,' Cobb said. 'He and I first met in the mid '80s when we were prosecuting different places and I have respected him throughout.'

Cobb resigned amid clashes between Trump and Mueller's team, amid complaints that his strategy had been too accommodating. He also expressed his gratitude to Trump.

Former White House lawyer Ty Cobb, left, with former White House counsel to Bill Clinton Jack Quinn

'I've done what I came to do in terms of managing the White House response to the special counsel requests,' Cobb said. 'I'm extremely grateful to the President and Chief [of staff John] Kelly for the opportunity to serve my country.'

'He's a very deliberate person. He's got some very serious lawyers who are working for him,' said Cobb. Trump at various times has labeled Mueller's team '13 Angry Democrats' and other iterations.

At one point, Borger asked: 'Will he find obstruction, or collusion?' Cobb only answered about collusion.

'I think on that it'd be unfair to make a prediction, but there's been no evidence of collusion throughout this and I think that'll be the case,' he said.