Within the next month, Mueller is reportedly planning to deliver his findings in the obstruction of justice investigation to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. “Donald is very worried,” said a Republican close to Trump. The difference is that Trump is now more unshackled than at any point in his presidency, meaning that firing Mueller or Rosenstein remains a possibility. “We’ve entered the era of primal Trump,” one outside adviser told me.
In the meantime, Trump seems to be relishing the freedom to act on his impulses, flying by feel and instinct, warring with Justin Trudeau and America’s G7 allies while praising Kim as “very talented.” “It’s now exactly like the Trump Organization,” said a friend who spoke with Trump shortly before he departed for the G7 summit. (On the call, Trump ranted about CNN anchor Chris Cuomo getting a prime-time show. He also groused: “I made Jeff Zucker.”) Driving Trump’s satisfaction is the fact that the wars that raged in the West Wing have been over for a while. Trump’s current cast of West Wing staffers acquiesce to his wishes, while his long-suffering Chief of Staff John Kelly is isolated and demoralized. The New York Times reported on Sunday that Kelly told senators recently that the White House is a “miserable place to work.”
