Despite reports that acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker was President Donald Trump's "eyes and ears" inside the Department of Justice, Trump repeatedly told reporters Friday morning he doesn't know Whitaker.

Whitaker, who grew up in Ankeny and formerly worked as a U.S. attorney in Des Moines, was chief of staff to former Attorney General Jeff Sessions until Wednesday, when Trump tweeted that he would replace Sessions.

When asked by "Fox and Friends" about Whitaker in October, Trump said he knows him.

"I can tell you Matt Whitaker's a great guy," Trump said on October 11, according to Politico. "I mean, I know Matt Whitaker."

As Sessions' chief of staff, Whitaker was outspoken in multiple Oval Office meetings, according to the New York Times. Trump "took a liking to" Whitaker because of his "commanding bearing that the president likes," the Times reported.

As acting attorney general, Whitaker will oversee the justice department, as well as Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Sessions recused himself from the Mueller investigation in 2017.

Whitaker has publicly criticized that investigation, including during a CNN appearance last year, when he said he could see a scenario where the "attorney general doesn't fire Bob Mueller but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigations grind to almost a halt."

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John Kelly, Trump's chief of staff, has "privately described (Whitaker) as the West Wing’s 'eyes and ears,'" according the New York Times.

Trump shot down questions about the appointment Friday, telling a press gaggle several times that "I don't know Whitaker."

“I don’t know Matt Whitaker. Matt Whitaker worked for Jeff Sessions, and he was always extremely highly thought of, and still is," the president said.

At one point, CNN reporter Abby Phillip asked Trump if he wants Whitaker "to rein in Robert Mueller."

The president replied by insulting the reporter.

"What a stupid question that is," Trump responded. "What a stupid question. But I watch you a lot. You ask a lot of stupid questions."

The New York Times also reported in September that Whitaker was previously considered to replace a number of Trump administration officials, including Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and White House counsel Don McGahn.

"Everything we hear the president here say about Whitaker is quite frankly not true," CNN crime and justice reporter Shimon Prokupecz said on air after the news conference, adding "the optics are not good."

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