Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
President Trump told reporters Thursday that he was "very surprised" that his son, Donald Trump Jr., was subpoenaed by the Senate Intelligence Committee, as first reported by Axios.
"I was very surprised. I saw Richard Burr saying there was no collusion two or three weeks ago. He went outside and said we found no collusion. I was very surprised to see my son — my son is a very good person. ... He's now testified for 20 hours or something, a massive amount of time. The Mueller report came out. That's the bible. The Mueller report came out and they said he did nothing wrong."
Why it matters: This is the first congressional subpoena — that we know about — of one of Trump's children. The president signaled that Trump Jr. may fight the subpoena, which was authorized by Republican Senate Intelligence Chair Richard Burr.
- The subpoena has prompted significant backlash from Republicans, who have complained — like Trump — that Don Jr. has spent hours testifying before Congress, and that Democrats won't let go of the Russia investigation even after the release of the Mueller report.
- It's worth noting that the Senate Intelligence Committee has not yet released its own bipartisan report, which Ranking Member Mark Warner said will be "more extensive" than the Mueller report with respect to Russia's interference efforts in the 2016 election.
Reality check: Mueller did not exonerate Trump Jr. in his report. He chose not to prosecute Trump Jr. for violating a ban on contributions and donations by foreign nationals for 2 reasons:
- First, Mueller likely could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump Jr. and the others "acted 'willfully,' i.e. with general knowledge of the illegality of their conduct."
- And second, Mueller said he likely could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the "value of promised information exceeded the threshold for a criminal violation."
Go deeper: Trump Jr. subpoena faces Republican backlash