Donald Trump launched a furious attack on the Mueller investigation this morning, which means analysts are once again discussing what happens if the president tries to unilaterally shut down the special prosecutor.
MSNBC invited Republican strategist Richard St. Paul on to give the president's side of the story. Viewers could literally see sweat bead up on the back of St Paul's head as he prepared to offer his defense of Trump.
St. Paul claimed the president was within his rights to demand a halt to an investigation he suggested is going no where—despite having already ensnared Trump’s former campaign chair, Paul Manafort, and 21 other people involved in the conspiracy.
"There has been up to this point no evidence of collusion so the president has every right to say 'Let's wrap this investigation up.' He's even offered to be interviewed," he said.
MSNBC political analyst Zerlina Maxwell was not having it.
"Collusion is not a legal term. So, essentially, when someone throws that word out you can't prove it or disprove it in a court of law," she said. "But conspiracy is a crime and there is evidence that there was coordination of some kind between Trump campaign officials and Russia. George Papadopoulos pled guilty to lying to the FBI about the context of his communications with Russia. In addition, Donald Trump Jr. met with Russians in Trump Tower after a Russian said, essentially, 'Would you like to collude.' And he said 'Yes, I love it, later in the summer."
Watch the fiery exchange below.
