White House lawyer Ty Cobb said on Sunday that President Donald Trump was not considering or discussing firing special counsel Robert Mueller – even after the president directly lashed out at Mueller's probe during the weekend.
Cobb's statement came after Trump earlier Sunday criticized Mueller's probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. On Saturday, John Dowd, one of Trump's personal lawyers representing him in the Russia probe, called for a quick end to Mueller's investigation.
"I pray that Acting Attorney General Rosenstein will follow the brilliant and courageous example of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and bring an end to alleged Russia Collusion investigation manufactured by McCabe's boss James Comey based upon a fraudulent and corrupt Dossier," Dowd wrote in a statement provided to CNBC. The Daily Beast first reported it Saturday morning.
The president followed suit over the weekend with a series of tweets targeting Mueller's probe, fired FBI Director James Comey and the recently fired former FBI deputy director, Andrew McCabe.
SATURDAY TRUMP MUELLER TWEET
TRUMP MUELLER TWEET
Dowd's statement and Trump's subsequent tweets set off renewed speculation that the president might fire the special council.
Sunday night, however, Cobb, another of the president's attorneys, sought to tamp down that speculation.
"In response to media speculation and related questions being posed to the administration, the White House yet again confirms that the President is not considering or discussing the firing of the Special Counsel, Robert Mueller," Cobb said.
Reuters and CNBC's Valerie Block and Javier David contributed to this report.