Day 425: Trump’s Lawyers Don’t Trust Him to Not Incriminate Himself

A Donald Trump-Robert Mueller meeting is growing closer, and the two sides are trying to finalize what will be discussed. Trump’s lawyers, however, have grave concerns about Trump’s ability to not leave himself exposed.

Trump’s legal team recently shared the documents in an effort to limit any session between the president and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III to a few select topics, the people said. The lawyers are worried that Trump, who has a penchant for making erroneous claims, would be vulnerable in an hours-long interview.

They have good reason for their wariness, as in recent days, Trump’s actions appear to be that of anything but an innocent man.

Trump’s hubris and tendency to lie make a particularly dangerous combination when dealing with a team of savvy investigators. By sitting down with Mueller’s team, Trump may not be able to absolve himself, but he certainly can dig his own grave.

Trump’s lawyers know that, and they also know they can’t prevent Trump from being questioned entirely. Negotiating for a limited scope or direction allows them to better prepare Trump beforehand of the queries he is likely to face.

Hoping for Trump to stay on script for hours on end may be a bridge too far, but every minute his lawyers manage to reduce his questioning is another minute Trump can’t incriminate himself or open new doors to investigate.

425 days in, 1037 to go

Follow us on Twitter at @TrumpTimer