There has been no indication from President Donald Trump that he intends to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune said Thursday, agreeing with Sen. Lindsey Graham's contention that Mueller's job is safe.
"We all agree that the investigation needs to be completed," Thune, a South Dakota Republican, told Fox News "America's Newsroom." "That should happen soon. They've been at it for a long time."
However, outgoing Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., has said otherwise, and has vowed not to vote to concern Republican nominees unless the Senate allows a vote to protect Mueller from being fired.
"This effort has a lot more to do with politics than substance," said Thune. "I don't think there is the substance that suggests that it is a step that Congress ought to take. There are a lot of politics at work here."
Thune was selected Wednesday to serve as Senate Majority Whip, with Sen. Mitch McConnell reelected as Senate Majority Leader, and believes Republicans will have to be "very strategic" to push through the White House's agenda now that Democrats will control the House.
"Assuming they elect Nancy Pelosi as speaker, we'll find out right away whether or not she and her caucus intend to legislate, in other words, work with us in a constructive way to build on all the progress that we've made the last couple of years," said Thune. "I think we'll get an answer to that before too long."