WASHINGTON (AP) – Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein discussed secretly recording President Donald Trump last year as law enforcement agencies grew increasingly unnerved about chaos in the White House, according to people familiar with the exchange. One person who was present at the time said Rosenstein was just being sarcastic.
Trump spoke later Friday of a “lingering stench” at the Justice Department, though he didn’t name names. But the reports add fuel to Trump’s longstanding claims that his law enforcement agencies are biased against him and determined to undermine his presidency.
Rosenstein’s comments were first reported Friday by The New York Times. The Times also said Rosenstein raised the idea of using the 25th Amendment to remove Trump as unfit for office.
Rosenstein issued a swift denial.
“I never pursued or authorized recording the President and any suggestion that I have ever advocated for the removal of the President is absolutely false,” he said.