The White House joined the president's legal team Thursday in pushing back on aspects of the special counsel report - including a claim that Trump exploded when he found out about Robert Mueller's appointment and declared: 'I'm f***ed.'
Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, told press at the White House that she 'never' heard Trump make comments like what what was included in the report.
'I was very surprised to see that because that was not the reaction of the president that day when I was there and he has never – there are words where the president's quoted throughout the report where he doesn't use those words, so I'm not sure, you can ask the people about that,' she said.
The White House joined the president's legal team in pushing back on aspects of the special counsel report - including a claim that Trump exploded when he found out about Robert Mueller's appointment and declared: 'I'm f***ed'
She said that Trump had never ever talked about resigning from office or ending his presidential campaign.
'I will tell you he has never once on the campaign said, "I think we should resign, I'm not gonna run anymore, let's just – I'm done here, I can go back to my happy life, make billions of dollars." He has never said that during the campaign and he certainly never has said it since he was here.'
She said, 'I've been by his side for three straight years now. He has never expressed that, "my presidency is over."
'And I know that that was the promise and the wish of many people many people who for some reason you give a lot of airtime and ink to, who have zero credibility now, who promised collusion, who swore there would be criminal conspiracy, who would whisper in the ears of people like me that my colleagues or members of the trump family, or both, would be headed to jail, would be indicted by the grand jury, would be taken into prison,' she said.
'None of that happened. Honestly, it's time to move on, total exoneration, the president's in a great mood. And I think what's incredibly important here is that democracy in the world's greatest country, the greatest democracy, flourishes.'
Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not accuse President Trump, his family or his aides of crimes - but he did paint an unflattering portrait of a foul-mouthed executive who believed the Russia probe would lead to his demise.
When Mueller was appointed, the special counsel's report says, Trump ranted: 'I'm f***ed. This is the end of my presidency.'
The account was included in the report that was released to Congress on CD-Roms and to the public in a PDF document that could not be searched. It provides new details on the moment Trump learned of Mueller's appointment and actions he took to keep the walls from closing in on him.
Mueller declined to call any of the actions criminal - but he intentionally left room for Congress to arrive at another conclusion.
'If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would state so,' he writess.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller ultimately did not accuse President Trump of crimes - but he did paint an unflattering portrait of a foul-mouthed executive who believed the Russia probe would lead to his demise
He outlines ten instances in which Trump may have obstructed justice - and notes that the president believed the appointment of a special counsel would lead to him being ousted from office.
According to the report, on May 17, 2017, Sessions left a meeting to take a call from Rosenstein, who delivered the news.
In notes by White House aide Reed Hunt, the president slumped back in his chair.
'Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I' m f*****,' he said, according to Hunt's notes.
Then, according to the report, 'The President became angry and lambasted the Attorney General for his decision to recuse from the investigation, stating, 'How could you let this happen, Jeff?'
Trump contrasted Sessions to former AGs Eric Holder and Bobby Kennedy, venting, 'you were supposed to protect me' or similar words.
'The President returned to the consequences of the appointment and said, 'Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I won't be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me.'
Trump seemed extremely upset afterwards, recounted former Trump communications director and White House aide Hope Hicks.
'Hicks said that she had only seen the President like that one other time, when the Access Hollywood tape came out during the campaign,' she said.
Sessions handed in a resignation letter after the incident, per Trump's request. Trump asked Sessions if he
