Ryan on Mueller probe: Let the DOJ investigators ‘do their job’

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Sunday said special counsel Robert Mueller and his team of investigators at the Department of Justice (DOJ) should be able to “do their job” as they continue to look into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“We’re not going to interfere with his investigation,” Ryan told host Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday,” referring to Mueller.

{mosads}”Let these career professionals at DOJ just do their jobs and finish their job, and that’s what we’re going to do. Let them do that,” Ryan said, adding that he’s said this “all along.” 

The Republican leader split with some GOP lawmakers who have called for Mueller to step down or be ousted from leading the investigation because he served as FBI chief at the time of the Uranium One deal, a 2010 Obama-era deal that allowed a Russian company to purchase a Canadian energy firm with uranium operations in the U.S.

“So no, I don’t think he should be stepping down and I don’t think he should be fired,” Ryan said. He added that President Trump has also “made it clear” he is not going to fire Mueller.

Trump delivered a mixed message on Friday about the Justice Department, appearing to push the agency toward opening an investigation into the Clinton campaign’s control of the Democratic National Committee during the presidential election, while saying he wants to “let it run itself.”

“I’m really not involved with the Justice Department. I’d like to let it run itself, but honestly, they should be looking at the Democrats,” Trump told reporters, after saying he is “disappointed” in the Justice Department for not investigating Clinton.

Ryan’s remarks come after Mueller hit two top Trump campaign officials, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Manafort’s former associate Richard Gates, with a series of charges last week.