House Speaker Ryan says assured Trump won't fire Mueller

[March 21, 2018]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday said he has been assured that fellow Republican President Donald Trump is not considering firing U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller leaves the U.S. Capitol Building after meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, U.S., June 21, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

"The special counsel should be free to follow through his investigation to completion without interference, absolutely," Ryan said at a news conference. "I am confident that he’ll be able to do that. I’ve received assurances that his firing is not even under consideration."

Ryan, who has supported the special counsel probe of Russian election meddling, did not elaborate on the assurances.

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell and Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

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