Mike Pence to Robert Mueller: 'Wrap it up' (and we have nothing to do with Michael Cohen)

David Jackson | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Now Vice President Pence joins his boss Donald Trump and other White House officials in a pointed message to Robert Mueller: Finish the job.

"In the interest of the country, I think it’s time to wrap it up," Pence told NBC News in an interview broadcast Thursday. "And I would very respectfully encourage the Special Counsel and his team to bring their work to completion.”

Of course, one hold-up: Trump refuses to testify before Mueller.

Trump and his attorneys have so far refused to provide testimony, saying they want specific time limits and limited questions. The standoff could lead to a Mueller subpoena that Trump would likely challenge in court.

A subpoena fight would further delay Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and claims that Trump sought to obstruct justice during the investigation.

More: Can Robert Mueller subpoena Donald Trump? Only the Supreme Court would know for sure

More: Trump hits Robert Mueller probe, claims it is led by '13 Angry Democrats'

While pressuring Mueller, Pence also sought to distance the administration from an investigation into corporate payments made to Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.

“What I can say is that that private matter is something that I don’t have any knowledge about," Pence told NBC. "I think the White House issued a statement saying the same.”

In his critique of Mueller, Pence said, "our administration has provided more than a million documents" and "we’ve fully cooperated in it."

Trump, private attorney Rudy Giuliani, and other administration officials have said much the same things in recent days.

Expect those messages to amplify ahead of May 17, the one-year anniversary of Mueller's appointment.