Ruddy: Mueller Probe Poses 'Existential Threat' to Trump Presidency

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign “poses an existential threat to the Trump presidency,” Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy said Sunday.

In remarks on ABC News’ “This Week,” Ruddy, a longtime friend of President Donald Trump, said he’s concerned the investigation won’t be fair.

"Robert Mueller poses an existential threat to the Trump presidency,” he said. “He’s gotten four major — two convictions, two plea agreements. Lightning speed...."

Ruddy noted Ken Starr, an independent counsel in the Whitewater and Monica Lewinsky investigations during the Clinton administration, spent almost four years in its probe before getting its first indictment.

But Ruddy discounted speculation the the Mueller probe will be completed soon and the president will be exonerated quickly.

"I don't know what they're smoking,” Ruddy said of the President’s lawyers.

He also blasted the composition — and political bent — of the investigation.

“Mueller put together 16 heavy weight prosecutors — seven of them donors to Hillary [Clinton] and/or [President Barack] Obama's campaign,” he said. “The lead FBI agent had to be removed... He cleared Hillary in the e-mail server investigation. Then he's put in charge of the investigation of the president.”

“You get a picture that the investigation is out to get the president,” Ruddy continued. “It's not a good group of people. I'm concerned … that they're not going to be fair."

Ruddy also defended the GOP tax reform effort, and said show panelists and other “elites” are “living in a bubble.”

“You're guilty of everything that the New York elites accuse the president of,” he said.

“We have the president with the highest consumer confidence in 17 years, the highest Gallup business confidence in 10 years, the highest stock market ever in history. He's had relatively good approval numbers when you consider the barrage of media attacks."

Ruddy added there’s also “high consumer confidence” and the “lowest unemployment in more than a decade. “

Host Stephanopolous shot back that the “president has 37 percent. What does that tell you?”

“You guys don't give him a break,” Ruddy said of mainstream media. “Considering they've thrown the kitchen sink at him and he's standing at 38 percent.”

But Ruddy predicted passage of tax reform will be a watershed moment — not just because of tax rates, but because $3 trillion in offshore money “is coming back into the economy.”

“It will propel his reelection,” Ruddy declared. “It will drive the economy for the next 10 years.”

Ruddy added that eliminating state and local tax deductions was a serious mistake and could cost the GOP control of Congress in 2018. He urged the president to push for its removal in the conference committee.

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