Sen. Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant HatchBottom line Bottom line Senate GOP divided over whether they'd fill Supreme Court vacancy MORE (R-Utah) on Thursday warned that anyone advising President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE to fire 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 doesn't have “the nation’s best interest at heart."

“Anyone advising the President — in public or over the airwaves — to fire Bob Mueller does not have the President or the nation’s best interest at heart,” Hatch tweeted. “Full stop.”

Anyone advising the President — in public or over the airwaves— to fire Bob Mueller does not have the President or the nation’s best interest at heart.



Full stop. — Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) April 12, 2018

Hatch released a statement last month urging Trump to allow the investigation to continue "uninterrupted."

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"I know Bob Mueller well and believe him to be a straight shooter, and I continue to believe that giving him the time and support necessary to get to the bottom of things is the best interest of all parties involved," Hatch said.

HATCH today on Mueller— “I continue to believe that giving him the time and support necessary to get to the bottom of things is in the best interest of all parties involved..” pic.twitter.com/uwV6xEVCkX — Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) March 19, 2018

Hatch said then that his conversations with the Trump White House convinced him that Trump "would not take such a foolish action."

The Thursday criticism from the longest serving Republican senator came shortly after Trump denounced a New York Times report that he tried to fire Mueller in December.

“If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him,” Trump tweeted early Thursday. “Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper!”

If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him. Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2018

On Monday, Trump said “many people” have suggested that he fire Mueller, who has been leading the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the following day that Trump “certainly believes” he has the power to oust the special counsel, despite many legal experts saying that it would be 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 would have to make the decision, since Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE has recused himself from Russia-related investigations.

Some Trump allies have been calling on the president to fire Mueller in the days following the FBI raid on Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) compared the raid to Stalin and the Gestapo, Nazi Germany's secret police.

However, several prominent party members have urged Trump not to fire Mueller.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyCollins says she will vote 'no' on Supreme Court nominee before election The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump, GOP allies prepare for SCOTUS nomination this week Gardner signals support for taking up Supreme Court nominee this year MORE (R-Iowa) declared Tuesday that “it would be suicide for the president to fire him.”

Sens. Thom Tillis Thomas (Thom) Roland TillisThe Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting OVERNIGHT ENERGY: EPA head questions connection of climate change to natural disasters | Pebble Mine executives eye future expansion in recorded conversations | EPA questions science linking widely used pesticide to brain damage in children Liberal super PAC launches ads targeting vulnerable GOP senators over SCOTUS fight MORE (R-N.C.) and Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (R-S.C.) have both sponsored bipartisan bills to protect the special counsel from being fired by the president.