The top lawyer representing President Donald Trump in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election resigned Thursday, according to multiple reports.
Attorney John Dowd’s resignation came days after he called for an end to Mueller’s investigation, claiming it was “manufactured” by former FBI Director James Comey and based on an infamous -- and mostly unverified -- dossier that was funded in part by the Democratic National Committee and Democrat Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
"I love the president and wish him well," Dowd wrote Thursday in an email to The Washington Post.
The newspaper reported that Dowd's departure was "a largely mutual decision" based on Trump's recent belief that Dowd couldn't handle Mueller's investigation and the attorney's frustration with the president's recent additions to his legal team. Trump attorney Jay Sekulow earlier this week brought one of his friends, veteran Washington attorney Joseph diGenova, onto the team, according to The New York Times.
It was not immediately clear who would take over as lead of the president’s legal team.
"John Dowd is a friend and has been a valuable member of our legal team," Sekulow said Thursday in a statement to the Times. "We will continue our ongoing representation of the president and our cooperation with the office of special counsel."
CNN reported that Dowd's exit could hint that Trump's legal team plans to become more aggressive in defending the president.
Dowd, who took over Trump's legal team last summer, has advised the president to cooperate in Mueller's investigation and refrain from publicly attacking the special counsel, the Times reported. Still, Trump has targeted Mueller for criticism in recent days, repeating his claims that the probe is little more than a politically motivated "witch hunt."
Last month, Mueller indicted 13 Russian individuals and three organizations on charges of interfering in the election. Three of Trump's associates -- former national security adviser Michael Flynn, deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates and campaign aide George Papadopoulos -- have pleaded guilty to lying to investigators and agreed to cooperate. Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has pleaded not guilty to a variety of money laundering and other criminal charges.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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