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Donald Trump ‘could be made to testify to grand jury by Robert Mueller if he refuses to talk – and his lawyers lack proper security clearance’

If Trump has to testify to the grand jury, he won’t have his lawyers with him – and their job is already difficult as they don’t have the necessary clearances to deal with the case

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Special counsel Robert Mueller (seen leaving a meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on June 21, 2017) warned lawyers for US President Donald Trump that he could be subpoenaed, forcing him to testify in front of a grand jury without counsel present, insiders said. Photo: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg

Special counsel Robert Mueller warned Donald Trump’s lawyers that the US president could be subpoenaed and hauled in front of a grand jury – without legal representation – if he refused to answer questions in the Russia collusion investigation, insiders have said.

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The remarks came during a tense meeting in early March between Mueller and Trump’s lawyers, according to four Washington Post sources.

Trump’s former lead lawyer, John Dowd, confirmed with the Associated Press on Tuesday that Mueller’s team broached the possibility of Trump being made to testify under oath while they were negotiating the terms of a possible interview with the president.

However, Dowd did not immediately make clear in what context the possibility of a subpoena was raised or how serious Mueller’s prosecutors were about the move. Mueller is investigating not only Russian election interference and possible coordination with Trump associates, but possible obstruction of justice by Trump.

Also on Tuesday, Dowd – who left Trump’s team in March over disagreements with the president on legal strategy – told Bloomberg that Trump’s legal fight is complicated by the fact that the president’s remaining team of lawyers lacks the necessary security clearances to deal with the case.

Mueller is looking into whether Trump (seen on Tuesday) may have attempted to obstruct justice. Photo: Bloomberg
Mueller is looking into whether Trump (seen on Tuesday) may have attempted to obstruct justice. Photo: Bloomberg
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Until his departure, Dowd had been the only member of the president’s personal legal team with a security clearance, sources told Bloomberg; when he quit, Jay Sekulow became the lead lawyer on the investigation – but he is still waiting for his clearance. 

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