--- title: What Special Counsel Robert Mueller Will Ask Donald Trump description: Special counsel investigators have reportedly provided the list of questions they plan to ask President Donald Trump in a sit-down interview canonical: https://time.com/5260757/mueller-probe-donald-trump-question-list/ author: Laignee Barron article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-05-01T06:16:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:42:08.765Z article:section: Politics og:title: Here's What Robert Mueller Wants to Ask President Trump og:description: What did the President know, and when did he know it? og:url: https://time.com/5260757/mueller-probe-donald-trump-question-list/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf68b28012fc495bd/69892f33e76ad2ae5f631db7/gettyimages-902836240.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Left, President Donald Trump at the White House on Jan. 04, 201 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Here's What Robert Mueller Wants to Ask President Trump twitter:description: What did the President know, and when did he know it? twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf68b28012fc495bd/69892f33e76ad2ae5f631db7/gettyimages-902836240.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Here's What Special Counsel Robert Mueller Wants to Ask President Trump > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=9194b327-979c-419a-b24d-bd6ae08949f4&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Subscribers | 85,000 | TIME, August 2026 | | Open rate | 37.0% | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Philip Elliott, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The policy influence ecosystem. A policy-focused audience spanning government, public affairs, advocacy, law, research, political media, and the institutions that make, interpret and respond to public policy. ### TIME D.C. Brief: key statements * D.C. Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * D.C. Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=9194b327-979c-419a-b24d-bd6ae08949f4&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/subscribe?i=9194b327-979c-419a-b24d-bd6ae08949f4&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's politics newsletter? D.C. Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: President Trump Believes He Has the Power to Fire Robert Mueller, White House Says [Watch (HLS stream): President Trump Believes He Has the Power to Fire Robert Mueller, White House Says](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/YXumUWFH.m3u8) (0:20)  _Published 2018-04-10. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said that the president thinks he can fire special counsel Robert Mueller, but isn’t taking that step now._ by [Laignee Barron](https://time.com/author/laignee-barron/) ## Laignee Barron May 1, 2018 6:16 AM UTC  Left, President Donald Trump at the White House on Jan. 04, 2018\. Robert Mueller on Capitol Hill in 2013. Left, President Donald Trump at the White House on Jan. 04, 2018\. Robert Mueller on Capitol Hill in 2013. Jabin Botsford—The Washington Post/Getty Images and Kevin Lamarque—Reuters by [Laignee Barron](https://time.com/author/laignee-barron/) ## Laignee Barron May 1, 2018 6:16 AM UTC A list obtained by the New York _Times_ reveals the more than [four dozen questions](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/30/us/politics/questions-mueller-wants-to-ask-trump-russia.html) that special counsel Robert Mueller plans to ask President Donald Trump as part of an investigation into Russian election interference, and whether the president obstructed justice. Two key figures from the early days of the administration, former FBI director [James Comey](http://time.com/collection/2017-time-100/4736327/james-comey/) and ex-national security adviser [Michael Flynn](http://time.com/5045158/donald-trump-michael-flynn-quotes/), make up the bulk of the exhaustive set of inquiries, which offer rare insight into the year-long probe. A smaller set of questions revolve directly around Russia, including Trump’s discussions with his campaign staffers, and the now-infamous [Trump Tower meeting](http://time.com/5053596/donald-trump-jr-russia-probe-meeting/) during which a Russian lawyer allegedly offered dirt on Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump Jr. Trump has repeatedly denied that he or his campaign team colluded with Russia, and dubbed the probe a “[witch hunt](https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/975720503997620224?lang=en).” Some speculated that Trump might try to [fire Mueller,](http://time.com/5235576/donald-trump-fire-robert-mueller/) after a [confidante suggested](http://time.com/5120383/robert-mueller-firing-trump/) he had considered doing so. While the White House has urged a [swift resolution](http://time.com/5248465/donald-trump-lawyers-rudy-giuliani-special-counsel/) of the investigation, the special counsel and Trump’s team appear locked in a standoff over a possible presidential interview, with the questions reportedly provided as part of those negotiations. Here is a broad outline of the queries the president could face should he agree to sit down with the special counsel, according to the _Times_. ## Did the president try to shield Michael Flynn? What does the president know about calls his former national security adviser made to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December 2016? Did Trump know those calls may have violated a law prohibiting private citizens from interfering in U.S. foreign policy? Why were Trump’s lawyers talking about a possible pardon, Mueller wants to know. Flynn was ousted from the administration in February 2017, and ultimately [pleaded guilty](http://time.com/5045693/michael-flynn-guilty-plea-courtroom/) to lying to the FBI about his contact with Kislyak during the presidential transition. But what exactly the president knew about this episode remains unclear. ## Who made the decision to fire James Comey, and why?  Former FBI Director James Comey appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee in Washington, DC, on June 08, 2017. Matt McClain—The Washington Post/Getty Images The Comey questions revolve around whether President Trump fired the former FBI director in order to protect Flynn from prosecution. Trump has offered conflicting explanations for axing Comey, initially pinning the decision on his alleged mishandling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. Later on, he suggested that dismissing Comey relieved some of the pressure he faced over Russia. “I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job,” Trump told Russian officials in the Oval Office the day after pushing Comey out, the _Times_ reports. “I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.” ## What happened when Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recused himself?  Jeff Sessions, U.S. attorney general, removes his glasses during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on June 13, 2017. Andrew Harrer—Bloomberg/Getty Images The line of inquiry around Sessions focuses on what happened when Sessions [recused himself](http://time.com/4689492/jeff-sessions-russia-recuse/) from the Russia investigation in March 2017\. Trump reportedly [attempted to stop the recusal](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/us/politics/trump-sessions-russia-mcgahn.html), according to the _Times,_ and Mueller’s questions aim to determine whether the president viewed the Attorney General and other law enforcement officials as a form of protection. Trump has previously praised attorneys general who were seen as “loyal” to their presidents. “Did you discuss whether Mr. Sessions would protect you, and reference past attorneys general?” Mueller reportedly plans to ask. He would also like to know whether Trump had plans to fire the special counsel himself, whose appointment the president reportedly blames on Sessions’ recusal. ## What did Trump know about Russia, and when did he know it?  U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7, 2017. Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images “During the campaign, what did you know about Russian hacking, use of social media or other acts aimed at the campaign?” the special counsel will ask. Among other topics, the wide-ranging Russia questions will reportedly touch on the 2016 Trump Tower meeting, possible attempts at arranging a rendezvous with Russian president Vladimir Putin, a failed bid to erect a Trump property in Moscow, Wikileaks, campaign manager Paul Manafort’s outreach to Russia and Jared Kushner’s alleged attempts to set up a backchannel line of communication using secure phones inside the Russian embassy. Trump has repeatedly denied any campaign collaboration with Russia, but Mueller’s probe has so far resulted in [criminal charges](http://time.com/5225759/robert-mueller-paul-manafort-memo/) against 19 people and three Russian companies, as well as [indictments](http://time.com/5006962/trumps-mueller-problem/) of two former campaign aides and the guilty plea of a third former adviser. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5260757/mueller-probe-donald-trump-question-list/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5260757/mueller-probe-donald-trump-question-list/"},"headline":"Here's What Special Counsel Robert Mueller Wants to Ask President Trump","datePublished":"2018-05-01T06:16:52.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:42:08.765Z","description":"What did the President know, and when did he know it? The New York Times obtained Special Counsel Robert Mueller's questions","url":"https://time.com/5260757/mueller-probe-donald-trump-question-list/","keywords":["White House","onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf68b28012fc495bd/69892f33e76ad2ae5f631db7/gettyimages-902836240.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Laignee Barron","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/laignee-barron/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf68b28012fc495bd/69892f33e76ad2ae5f631db7/gettyimages-902836240.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Left, President Donald Trump at the White House on Jan. 04, 201","caption":"Left, President Donald Trump at the White House on Jan. 04, 201","creditText":"Jabin Botsford—The Washington Post/Getty Images and Kevin Lamarque—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/white-house/","name":"White House"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5260757/mueller-probe-donald-trump-question-list/","name":"Here's What Special Counsel Robert Mueller Wants to Ask President Trump"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"President Trump Believes He Has the Power to Fire Robert Mueller, White House Says","description":"White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said that the president thinks he can fire special counsel Robert Mueller, but isn’t taking that step now.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/YXumUWFH/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-04-10T23:05:10.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/YXumUWFH.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5260757/mueller-probe-donald-trump-question-list/","duration":"PT20S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5260757/mueller-probe-donald-trump-question-list/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```