Editorial: Firing Mueller would be a stupid, reckless act even for Trump

Only a few days before the 45th anniversary of the Watergate break-in, could President Trump really be contemplating a reenactment of one of the most notorious episodes of that scandal: President Richard M. Nixon’s firing of Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor who was investigating the cover-up of that “third-rate burglary,” a power play that also cost the president his attorney general and deputy attorney general?

According to conservative media executive Christopher Ruddy, a close friend of the president’s, Trump is considering firing Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel in charge of the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible ties between the Russia and the Trump campaign.

Meanwhile, a chorus of Trump supporters, from former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich to commentator Ann Coulter, is assailing Mueller’s independence. Gingrich, who only a few weeks ago called Mueller a “superb choice” with an “impeccable” reputation, tweeted on Monday: “Republicans are delusional if they think the special counsel is going to be fair.”

The criticism of Mueller takes several forms. Gingrich pointed to Federal Election Commission reports that showed that some members of Mueller’s staff had contributed to Democratic candidates, including Hillary Clinton, in the past. Coulter suggested that because Comey had testified that Trump hadn’t been personally under investigation while he was FBI director, the purpose of Mueller’s commission “is now over.” (That ignores the fact that other Trump campaign figures might be under investigation.) There also have been complaints that Mueller is a friend of Comey’s.

We don’t want to give this glorified rumor more weight than it’s worth. Suffice to say that Trump would be nuts to think that these flimsy objections would provide him with cover if he made the disastrous decision to dismiss Mueller and abort the investigation. What’s more, in order to accomplish that wrecking operation, the president would probably have to fire Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who entrusted the Russia investigation to Mueller after Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions rightly recused himself from any investigation connected with the election. Rosenstein has already said publicly that he sees no justification for firing Mueller, and that he wouldn’t carry out an order from Trump to do so without “good cause.”

That was a warning to Trump not to attempt his own version of Nixon’s “Saturday Night Massacre” — but it wasn’t the only one. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, couching the same advice in friendlier terms, said: “The best thing to do is to let Robert Mueller do his job,” adding that “the best vindication for the president is to let this investigation go on independently and thoroughly.”

On Tuesday night White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that “while the president has the right to [fire Mueller], he has no intention to do so.” Unfortunately, Trump is famous for changing his mind, as he did when he fired Comey. We hope he allows Mueller’s investigation to run its course.

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UPDATES:

6/14: This piece was updated to reflect new statements from the White House.