Donald Trump Changed His Tune On The Mueller Report (Again) Ahead Of Its Release

There are just days until the report on the investigation into potential collusion between Russia and members of the Trump 2016 campaign will be released, according to multiple reports. It's a moment people (myself included) have been waiting for for what seems like ages and, while you'd think the president would be panic-stricken about the prospect of the impending report, Donald Trump's response to the Mueller report release date is super unbothered — for now, that is, because he's been so wishy-washy on the topic.

After the news broke on Monday, April 15, that a redacted version of the report will be released on Thursday, April 18, the president had some things to say. He commented on the release in an interview with Minneapolis TV station KSTP on April 15, saying he was not worried about the report because he thinks it will show the investigation, led by FBI Special Counsel Robert Mueller, was a "phony."

"I heard it's going to come out on Thursday," he said of the report. "That's good. And there can't be anything there because there was no crime. There was no anything. The crime was committed by the other side. This crime was all made up. It was all a fabrication."

According to Attorney General William Barr's summary of the report, the investigation did not find that the Trump 2016 campaign had worked with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election, but it did not come to a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. However, it's worth pointing out that the investigation did result in six of Trump's former associates either being charged with crimes or pleading guilty, among some three dozen people indicted, so it wasn't a total bust.

Aside from that, it sounds like the president is pretty confident here. But his comments could change, considering all the other times he's switched up. So don't count on him to stick to this.

Trump's previous position on full disclosure was a lot different. On April 2, just a day before the House Judiciary Committee was set to vote on whether to subpoena the full report, Trump tweeted that attention should be focused elsewhere.

"There is no amount of testimony or document production that can satisfy Jerry Nadler or Shifty Adam Schiff," he wrote, referencing Democratic leaders. "It is now time to focus exclusively on properly running our great Country!"

And his comments before that were a total 180. While speaking to reporters at the White House on March 20, Trump seemed enthusiastic about releasing the report. “I don’t mind,” Trump apparently said in response to a reporter who asked if the public has a right to see the investigation's final report. “I mean, frankly, I told the House, if you want, let ‘em see it.”

He added that his supporters, who helped him win "one of the greatest elections of all time in the history of this country," want to see the report. "I want to see the report. You know who wants to see it? The tens of millions of people that love the fact that we have the greatest economy we've ever had," he continued. "I look forward to seeing the report."

Oh, and that's not it. After the House passed a resolution calling for public release of the report, Trump said on March 15 that "there should be no" report at all.

He can change up in a heartbeat, is what I'm saying. With that, keep your eyes peeled for what he says on Thursday, April 18, because it might surprise you.