Trump Downplays Manafort’s Campaign Role, Not Worried ‘As Long as He Tells The Truth’
President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday that he isn’t worried about Paul Manafort’s cooperation with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
The former Trump campaign chair reached a plea deal with Mueller last week, who is investigating the 2016 campaign’s ties to Russia, and agreed to cooperate so as to avoid a second trial.
Per the New York Times:
It is not clear what information Mr. Manafort offered prosecutors in three days of negotiations that led to the plea deal. But in court on Friday, Mr. Manafort agreed to an open-ended arrangement that requires him to answer “fully, truthfully, completely and forthrightly” questions about “any and all matters” the government wants to ask about.
Trump expressed his faith in Manafort when asked about the plea deal by reporters on Wednesday.
“If he is honest, and I think he is… as long as he tells the truth it’s 100%,” Trump said, before touting Manafort’s political bonafides: “He was with Ronald Reagan, he was with Bob Dole, he was with McCain, he was with many, many people. That’s what he did.”
“Paul Manafort was with me for a short period of time,” he continued. “He did a good job. I was very happy with the job he did.”
“And I will tell you this, I believe that he will tell the truth. And if he tells the truth, no problem.”
[Mediaite]