President Trump is considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller, according to Christopher Ruddy, the president’s close friend and founder of Newsmax Media.

"I think he's considering perhaps terminating the special counsel," Ruddy told Judy Woodruff of the "PBS NewsHour." "I think he's weighing that option. I think it's pretty clear by what one of his lawyers said on television recently."

Ruddy later said his comments were not based on a direct conversation with the president, but that he was “confident” of his sourcing.





A number of Trump allies have expressed concerns recently that based on who Mueller’s hiring to build his legal team, the impartiality of the investigation is in question. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich pointed out that many of his staff members have donated to Democratic campaigns.

“Republicans are delusional if they think the special counsel is going to be fair,” he tweeted. “Time to rethink.”

Ann Coulter similarly noted that since Trump is not under investigation, “Sessions should take it back & fire Mueller.”

Ruddy’s remarks appear to be based on comments made recently by Jay Sekulow, a member of the president’s legal team.

"Look, the president of the United States, as we all know, is a unitary executive. But the president is going to seek the advice of his counsel and inside the government as well as outside. And I'm not going to speculate on what he will or will not do," Sekulow said on ABC in an interview Sunday.

"I can't imagine that that issue is going to arise," he added.

CNN’s Jim Acosta reported Monday that Trump “is being advised” not to fire Mueller.