President
Donald Trump is “somewhat embarrassed” about the
Russia investigation,
White House Chief of Staff
John Kelly said in a candid new interview.
Speaking to NPR, Kelly was asked whether the Russia probe has cast a cloud over Trump’s administration.
“It may not be a cloud, but certainly the President is, you know, somewhat embarrassed, frankly,” said Kelly, a retired Marine general.
“When world leaders come in, it’s kind of like, you know, [Israeli Prime Minister] Bibi Netanyahu is here, and he, who’s under investigation himself; and it’s like, you know, you walk in and you know the first couple of minutes of every conversation might revolve around that kind of thing.”
The Russia investigation, with Special Counsel Robert Mueller leading the charge, has led to two plea deals and several indictments against Trump campaign associates. But so far, the investigation has not availed the public release of any evidence of Trump’s involvement in a collusion conspiracy. The Republican has mostly been defiant about the investigation, calling it a “witch hunt” ginned up by his political opponents.
Kelly did say he doubts whether the Russia investigation will find any evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government.
“Something that has gone on this long without any real meat on the bone, it suggests to me that there is nothing there, relative to our President,” Kelly said when asked whether he agrees with Trump that the Russia investigation is a “witch hunt.”