The White House will continue to cooperate fully with special counsel Robert Mueller's growing probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday, but also are "completely focused" on issues that matter most to Americans.
"We're cooperating fully with the special counsel, [and] we'll continue to do that," Pence told the "CBS This Morning" program. "He's got his job to do, and we're going to keep doing our job. That's the issues the president spoke about before the UN, that we're working on with Congress."
The interview comes as The New York Times is reporting that Mueller has requested White House documents related to Trump's actions as president.
Mueller has asked for documents relating to Trump's firing of his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and FBI Director James Comey. In addition, information is being sought on Trump's closed-door meeting with Russian officials in May.
"Well, let me assure you that as we see for the first time three category 4 hurricanes make landfall in the United States, as we see threats like North Korea and an increasing destabilizing role by Iran, as we see challenges here at home in healthcare and the need to move this economy forward, I can assure you President Trump and I are completely focused on the issues that matter most to the American people," Pence told CBS Thursday.
Further, he said that he believes it's "for others to say" whether or not Mueller is exceeding his jurisdiction.
"I've made clear that during my time on the campaign, I was not aware of any contacts or any collusion with Russian officials," said Pence. "I stand by that. As I said, we'll provide any information the special counsel requires. This is not what the American people are focused on."
Further reports indicate that when Paul Manafort was chairing the Trump campaign, he was offering special, private briefings to a Russian billionaire with ties to the Kremlin about what was going on in the Trump campaign.
Pence acknowledged he read about the accounts in the newspaper, but pointed out that he and Manafort were on the campaign for only about a month.
"We're just going to let this process go forward," Pence said. "We're going to let the special counsel get the answers they deserve. I have to be honest with you, the American people are focused on the very same things the president is focused on, how do we improve national security, make the world more peaceful, more prosperous."
The vice-president also on Thursday would not indicate what decision Trump has made about whether to decertify the Iran nuclear deal.
"Yesterday the president said he's made a decision," Pence said, but noted that the president will indicate what the decision is at the time of his choosing.
"I know we've got a deadline until mid-October," Pence said.
He also would not say if he thinks Trump should abandon the deal.
"President Trump made his view very clear in front of the United Nations," said Pence. "He said it was a complete embarrassment. Giving cash to the leading state-sponsored terrorism was a terrible idea."
Meanwhile, the world community must come together and demand rogue regimes, including Iran, to stop supporting terrorist activities.
"The president is determined to do that, just as he's determined to bring the world community together," said Pence. "We'll meet with South Korea and Japan's leadership to further isolate North Korea."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.