Republicans fear Donald Trump is "too stupid" to be interviewed by the special counsel's team investigating possible collusion between Russia and the president's 2016 campaign, according to Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough on Tuesday morning.
Scarborough, a former Republican congressman well known for his criticisms of Trump, picked apart a CNN interview featuring U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) in which he said any such sit-down between Trump and Mueller would be a "perjury trap."
"So this is getting even more disturbing," Scarborough said about Zeldin's comments, according to Mediaite. "Republican congressmen are going on CNN and saying that the president's too stupid to talk to Mueller."
Co-host Mika Brzezinski quipped, "Well, they watch him on TV, Joe, and they get concerned."
Scarborough suggested Zeldin was comparing the president to former campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, whom Mueller charged with lying to FBI officials about his contacts with Russians during the campaign and is now cooperating with the probe.
"Is that Lee Zeldin guy really comparing Donald J. Trump to George Papadopoulos?" Scarborough asked. "He's basically saying, 'Don't do it, Mr. President, Bob Mueller's a lot smarter than you are. You're too stupid, and you're going to lie.'"
Zeldin's comments were similar to those made last month by long-time Trump political confidant and adviser Roger Stone, who told Fox News that a meeting with Mueller would be a "suicide mission" and "an obvious perjury trap."
The president has vehemently denied any collusion between his campaign and Russia and has often described the investigation as a "witch hunt."
The special counsel reportedly does want to interview Trump, but the president's private attorneys have advised him not to agree to a meeting because of concerns he could be charged with lying to investigators, according to The New York Times on Monday.
Trump, though, has said publicly that he would be "happy" to meet with Mueller and that he would be under oath during questioning.
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