Donald Trump once had a reality show “The Apprentice” where he delighted in eliminating contestants by informing them that “You’re Fired!” It appears that he took his penchant for firing people to a new level when he became President of the United States:
- Michael Flynn-National Security Adviser (resigned) 22 days
- Sally Yates– Acting Attorney General (fired) 10 days
- Preet Bhara-US attorney for the Southern Districts of NY
- Derek Harvey-Top Middle East adviser for National Security Council (fired) 186 days
- Katie Walsh-Deputy WH Chief of Staff (resigned) 69 days
- James Comey-FBI Director (fired) 109 days
- Reince Priebus-Chief of Staff (resigned) 189 days
- Michael Dubka-Communications Director (resigned) 85 days
- Walter Shaub-Office of Government Ethics Director (resigned) 180 days. Shaub called the Trump administration a “laughing stock” following his resignation.
- Anthony Scaramucci-Communications Director (fired) 10 days
- Sean Spicer-Press Secretary, WH director of communications (resigned) 182 days
- Michael Short-Press Aide (resigned) 186 days
- Steve Bannon-Chief Strategist (mutually agreed departure) 210 days
- Sebastian Gorka-National Security Aide (unclear) 217 days
- Carl Ichan-Special adviser to the President on regulatory reform (resigned) 210 days
- White House manufacturing council (dissolved) 201 days
- White House economic advisory council (dissolved) 201 days
- Angella Reid– WH chief usher (fired) 105 days
- Craig Deare-National Security Council Senior Director for Western Hemisphere affairs (fired) 26 days
- K.T. McFarland– Deputy national security advisor (reassigned) 117 days
- HR McMaster-National Security Adviser (fired) 13 months.
- Rex Tillerson-Secretary of State (fired) 14 months.
- Gary Cohn-Chief Economic Adviser (resigned) 14 months.
- Hope Hicks– White House Communications Director (resigned) six years in the Trump Organization and three years with Trump during his campaign and presidency.
- Andrew McCabe– Deputy Director of the FBI (fired) 14 months.
- Tom Price-Health Secretary (resigned)
Despite the unfortunate distractions provided by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the Trump-Russia Investigation has accelerated. Armed with more evidence, special counsel Robert Mueller has impaneled a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. to investigate whether Trump and his associates colluded with Russian operatives to win the White House.
The most critical witness of all, and a likely target of the investigation, is Trump himself. As the grand jury investigation accelerates, and it focuses on Trump’s role, he will almost certainly be subpoenaed, and his testimony demanded. It should be emphasized that Trump has no legal privilege to avoid testifying before the grand jury. A grand jury has the power to compel testimony from anyone, even as president, as Bill Clinton was compelled to do for the first time in U.S. history in 1998.
These are some of the general areas that Trump likely would be questioned about. Each of these areas is a relatively core subject, and would likely be the foundation to develop peripheral questions:
- Did Trump know when he was running for president and hired Paul Manafort as his campaign manager that Manafort had extensive financial dealings and lobbying work with Ukrainian and pro-Russian officials? Did he discuss Manafort’s connections with anyone?
- What was the basis for Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey? With whom did he discuss the firing? Did he discuss the firing with Attorney General Jeff Sessions?
- Did Trump know that his son Donald Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort met with a Russian lawyer during the campaign and allegedly obtained damaging information about Hilary Clinton? When did he learn about the meeting? From whom? What was his response?
- Did Trump alter Don Jr., initial statement about the Russian meeting, in which Don Jr. stated that he met to discuss Russian adoption but then changed this fabricated story to a new explanation that he wanted to judge Clinton’s “fitness.”
- Did Trump have any financial dealings, projects, loans, and any other financial or other interests with Russia, Russian officials, and Russian business interests?
- Did Trump know of any contacts between persons involved in his campaign and Russian intelligence operatives? Who were these persons? Did he have any conversations with them?
