Donald Trump claims he has 'NOTHING' to do with 'potential prosecution of Hunter Biden or the Biden family' despite asking privately about a special counsel probe
President Donald Trump on Thursday said he has 'nothing' to do with the 'potential prosecution' of Hunter Biden – despite repots he wants a special prosecutor to keep an existing investigation from getting shut down.
He presented himself as a dispassionate observer despite referring to the Bidens as a 'crime family' during the campaign, when his supporters sometimes cheered 'lock him up!' while Trump looked on.
'I have NOTHING to do with the potential prosecution of Hunter Biden, or the Biden family,' Trump tweeted Thursday. 'It is just more Fake News. Actually, I find it very sad to watch!'
President Trump said he wants 'nothing' to do with the 'potential prosecution' of Hunter Biden
His comment, which came without further explanation, followed reports that Trump has spoken about getting a special counsel to probe Hunter Biden and who would enjoy special protections from firing.
The president's son says he got a subpoena as part of a tax investigation, but says he did nothing wrong.
Trump has claimed he won the election, but musing about how the prosecution will go forward would suggest he wants to ensure the probe continues even during a Joe Biden administration.
The president-elect has vowed to keep his hands off the Justice Department while in office.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Attorney General Bill Barr, who has turned in his resignation letter, took steps to keep the Hunter probe from becoming public during the campaign.
Trump tweeted about the Hunter Biden investigation following reports he wants a special counsel appointed
Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani put out information purportedly from Hunter Biden's laptop during the campaign
AG Bill Barr is resigning. It may fall to his acting successor to decide whether to appoint a special counsel for Hunter Biden
The new acting attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen, who will presumably serve just a few weeks when Barr leaves before Christmas, will have to decide whether to take any steps sought by Trump to elevate and protect a Hunter probe that was revealed to have begun in 2018.
CNN reported that Trump has explored whether he can name a special counsel himself and has even been kicking around names of potential special counsels. DOJ rules put the appointment in the hands of the attorney general, and it was former AG Jeff Sessions who named Mueller.
Trump also reportedly wants a special counsel to probe the election 'fraud' he claims occurred in November.
Trump was enraged throughout his presidency by special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Trump is weighing whether to pressure Rosen to appoint a special counsel, or replace him with someone who is willing to do so. Rosen is a career official who listed among the agency's main priorities 'maintaining the rule of law.'