Thursday on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show,” former CBS anchor Dan Rather said the appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign was “reassuring” given it makes President Donald Trump “the hunted.”

Rather said, “What a news night, almost surreal. And of course dangerous for the country. But in the same token, I do think there is something reassuring about this. For most of the early stages of the Trump presidency, the question begged are we still a country of laws or have we become or are we becoming a question of men and man. And today’s events with the appointment of this special counsel, special prosecutor gives a resounding answer we’re still — this is one of the things that unites us— we’re still a nation of laws, not of men. And now facts are going to tell us what our destiny is and what our history will be. Not Donald Trump’s version of anything. Number two, these Times stories are big stories. Thank god for the American press, The Washington Post and New York Times and others doing a good job.”

“This information about when they knew that Flynn was under investigation for serious law breaking, they went ahead and appointed him,” he continued. “And as you alluded to, this raises anew the question what it is that Flynn knows about Donald Trump and his campaign that Donald Trump wants to keep hidden? Obviously, Flynn knows something. It may not be criminal. But if it’s not bad news, if it’s not something criminal or corrupt, why are they working so hard to hide it? Number two, I think today shows us this is the day — up until today, President Trump has had the ability to control almost every news cycle. From this day forward, he no longer has control. And, instead, if you will, of being the hunter, he becomes the hunted. And, I think, you know, that’s extremely important to keep in mind: that’s the way — he can’t — he can’t control it.”

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