Ryan: Trump should let Mueller do his job

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Tuesday that President Trump should allow special counsel Robert Mueller to “do his job independently” and that Ryan would be “surprised” if the president fired Mueller — a step some Trump allies say is being considered.    

“I’d be surprised if he did that,” Ryan said in an interview on “The Hugh Hewitt Show.” “I think he should let Bob Mueller do his job, do his job independently, and do his job quickly, because I think that that’s what he would want to have happen.”

Chris Ruddy, a close Trump friend, said Monday that Trump is considering firing Mueller, who is heading up the federal investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

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Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) at first praised Mueller’s appointment, calling the respected former FBI director a “superb choice” to lead the Russia probe. But on Monday, Gingrich questioned Mueller’s fairness and independence and said it’s “time to rethink” his role.

Ryan reiterated that terminating Mueller would be a bad idea and take focus away from the original target of the FBI probe: Russia meddling in the 2016 election.

“I think we should let Bob Mueller do his work and get to the bottom of it, and get to the bottom of it quickly so that he can be vindicated, get to these things,” Ryan said. “Let’s not forget what this is originally all about. Russia is up to no good. Russia is trying to meddle into our elections.”