Rudy Giuliani said Thursday that the president wouldn't answer any questions about obstruction of justice from Robert Mueller's team. Speaking first to the AP, President Trump's lawyer said questions, in writing or in person, about whether Trump tried to stymie the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election were a "no-go" and "not going to happen." But Giuliani was less steadfast in later comments to NBC News, saying that Trump's team has agreed to provide written answers to "collusion/pre-presidential questions … with no agreement to any post-presidential questions," including on obstruction, which are "not ruled in or out" but a matter to be debated after the first interview.
"I thought we were close to having an agreement until they came back with, 'You have to agree now that you'll allow a follow-up,'" Giuliani told Reuters. "We've said no, and let's see how they deal with it." In discussing the possibility of a second round of questioning, Giuliani told the AP, "If you want to follow up on our answers, justify it. Show us why you didn't get there the first time." The months-long negotiations are ongoing. Trump has previously expressed a desire to sit for an interview with Mueller, though his lawyers have advised against it. According to Bob Woodward's new book Fear: Trump in the White House, former White House lawyer John Dowd told Trump in March that such a move would result in imprisonment and perjury charges, per the Hill. (More President Trump stories.)