In recent weeks, investigators have moved aggressively on Trump’s trail, subpoenaing top former White House officials, focusing on efforts to sway the 2020 election and investigating lawyers who tried to aid those efforts. The Trump team’s discussions are with the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., which is in charge of the investigation, and its top attorney on Jan. 6, Thomas Windom, the sources said. The talks have not been previously reported. At this stage, the talks are mainly focused on whether any communications witnessed by Trump’s West Wing with the former president can be withheld from a federal criminal court under Trump’s claims of executive privilege, the people said. The Justice Department expected a legal battle with Trump over executive privilege. The issue has come as grand jury subpoenas have been issued to two former White House counsel’s office officials and former vice president Mike Pence’s general counsel and chief of staff. Trump’s legal team has warned him that charges are possible, sources tell CNN. Some members of Trump’s legal team have discussed his potential defense strategies at least twice in recent months, according to two sources familiar with the matter, as they prepare for new developments in the Justice Department investigation and a separate investigation by Georgia officials. potentially criminal interference in the state’s election results in 2020. Rolling Stone previously reported that Trump had been briefed. Trump has canvassed his lawyers about whether they really believe he will face formal charges, sources said. But the former president has expressed a great deal of skepticism that he will be charged, one of the sources familiar with the matter said. Another source close to the former president told CNN that Trump has also raised questions about a possible indictment with members of his inner circle, some of whom believe the president is concerned about the possibility of federal charges. But one person close to Trump said he is noticeably more engaged when talking to friends and advisers about the 2022 midterm elections and his potential 2024 presidential campaign than during legal strategy briefings. This person described the former president as dismissive of discussions about his legal troubles, often repeating the “witch hunt” mantra as he claims the various investigations he faces are clearly being driven by political rivals. A Trump spokesman said in a statement to CNN: “There is clearly a concerted effort to undermine vital, constitutionally entrenched executive and attorney-client privilege through partisan, political prosecution.” “How can any future President have private conversations with his lawyers, advisers and other senior advisers if any such adviser is forced, either during or after the Presidency, before an unselected committee or other entity, and forced to reveal these privileged, confidential discussions?’ the spokesman said. “President Trump will not be deterred by witch hunts or kangaroo courts from continuing to defend and fight for America, our Constitution and the Truth.” The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Mark Meadows could be a key witness
In recent months, the former president has ignored advice from some of his advisers to avoid talking to former and current aides who are involved in the Jan. 6 House Select Committee investigation and may become part of the criminal probe, people familiar with the matter said. issue. he told CNN.
Trump was specifically advised to sever contacts with former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, whose actions before and on the day of the U.S. Capitol riot were scrutinized deeply by the House panel, the people said.
Two of Meadows’ former top aides, Cassidy Hutchinson and Alyssa Farah Griffin, have also been highly critical of Trump, with Hutchinson testifying about damaging details about Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 during her public testimony before her panel. Parliament in June. Hutchinson is also cooperating with the DOJ investigation.
Some of Trump’s lawyers believe Meadows could also be targeted by investigators and worry he could become a witness if pressed to cooperate with the Justice Department probe, according to two people familiar with the matter.
In response, Meadows’ attorney, George Terwilliger, told CNN on Thursday, “This is all idle and uninformed speculation, obviously by people who know little but talk a lot.”
Former White House counsel Ty Cobb said Meadows is “perfectly placed to be the John Dean of this mess,” referring to the former Richard Nixon aide who offered critical public testimony during the Watergate hearings.
“The reason [Meadows] he’s valuable is also why he’s at risk: He’s basically been at Trump’s right-hand man in all these exercises and he’s been in key meetings and phone calls,” Cobb said.
However, according to a source familiar with the relationship, Trump and Meadows have spoken several times. Another source close to Trump described their relationship as “not what it used to be” while serving in the White House, but insisted they maintained a relationship, even though Trump has complained about Meadows in recent conversations with other allies.
Meadows has been known to attend fundraisers and events at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where he also helped organize a fundraiser last April for the Conservative Partnership Institute, a group he runs with the former Republican Senator. Jim DeMint.
Securing Trump’s endorsement of U.S. Senate candidate Ted Budd “was the last time Meadows was really regular. Since then, he’s never been a big part of the political business or [Trump’s] thought process,” said a second person close to Trump.
CNN’s Pamela Brown and Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
