Trump says he allowed McGahn to cooperate with Mueller

President Trump attacked The New York Times for its report on White House counsel Don McGahn's "extensive" cooperation with the Mueller investigation in a Sunday morning tweet.

"The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel [sic] Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel [sic], he must be a John Dean type “RAT.” But I allowed him and all others to testify - I didn’t have to. I have nothing to hide and have demanded transparency so that this Rigged and Disgusting Witch Hunt can come to a close. So many lives have been ruined over nothing - McCarthyism at its WORST! Yet Mueller & his gang of Dems refuse to look at the real crimes on the other side - Media is even worse!"

Between the lines: The Times reports that Trump encouraged McGahn to cooperate fully with the Mueller team, but that McGahn and his legal team feared the president was setting him up to take the fall for any potential obstruction charges.

Trump continued his thoughts in later tweets:

"The Failing New York Times wrote a story that made it seem like the White House Councel [sic] had TURNED on the President, when in fact it is just the opposite - & the two Fake reporters knew this. This is why the Fake News Media has become the Enemy of the People. So bad for America!"

"Some members of the media are very Angry at the Fake Story in the New York Times. They actually called to complain and apologize - a big step forward. From the day I announced, the Times has been Fake News, and with their disgusting new Board Member, it will only get worse!"