“Mueller informed them he did not want to be interviewed for FBI director position,” but told them his views about “what should be done with FBI,” the document says. “Sessions thought Mueller’s comments were ‘brilliant,'” Rosenstein is quoted as saying.

“Nevertheless, Mueller was placed on the White House’s list of potential candidates for FBI director,” the notes say. “Mueller was interviewed for the position of FBI director, but later decided to withdraw from consideration,” the notes say.

He was officially named special counsel on May 17.

Trump, who often decried Mueller’s investigation as a “witch hunt,” has used the Oval Office meeting to suggest that Mueller had a conflict of interest — and that he was lying about their conversation.