Sen. Christopher Coons Christopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsMurkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates MORE (D-Del.) said on Friday that he believes that President Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE is likely 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, saying that the recent ousters of top administration officials make such a move all the more probable.

"I think the president's abrupt recent actions in how he dismissed the [Veterans Affairs] secretary, the secretary of State, other key members of his Cabinet suggest that this is something he is likely to do," Coons said.

Coons said that many lawmakers believe that it would be "dreadful" if Trump fired Mueller, who is carrying out the law enforcement investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

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But many of those same lawmakers do not think that Trump would actually go through with it, Coons said. He challenged that notion by pointing to the recent spate of dismissals among the top ranks of the Trump administration.

Trump has moved in recent weeks to shake up his Cabinet. The series of firings began earlier this month with the abrupt dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Rex Wayne TillersonGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE. That was followed by the resignation of national security adviser H.R. McMaster last week.

And on Wednesday, Trump announced that he had fired Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin David Jonathon ShulkinVA inspector general says former top official steered M contract to friend Schumer demands answers in use of unproven coronavirus drug on veterans Former Trump VA secretary says staffer found plans to replace him in department copier MORE and tapped White House physician Ronny Jackson to replace him.

Trump has publicly and privately bristled at Mueller's investigation, which he has called a "witch hunt" intended to undermine his presidency. Those complaints have long fed speculation that he could try to fire the special counsel.

The New York Times reported in January that Trump had once tried to have Mueller fired shortly after the special counsel's appointment last year. The president reportedly backed off from that demand after White House counsel Don McGahn threatened to resign.

Some lawmakers have called for Congress to pass legislation that would curb the president's ability to do away with Mueller. One proposal, introduced by Coons and Sen. Thom Tillis Thomas (Thom) Roland TillisGrassley, Ernst pledge to 'evaluate' Trump's Supreme Court nominee Trump to include North Carolina in offshore drilling moratorium, senator says Biden's six best bets in 2016 Trump states MORE (R-N.C.), would require that Mueller be informed in writing of the specific reason for his firing and that he be given the ability to appeal such a decision.