Trump Claims He Doesnt Know Matt Whitaker. That's Not What Kellyanne Conway Says.

Top White House adviser Kellyanne Conway on Sunday said President Donald Trump has met several times over the last year with Matt Whitaker, contradicting the presidents claim last week that he didnt know the newly appointed acting attorney general .

Trump suggested Friday that he hadnt met Whitaker, his controversial pick to replace Jeff Sessions at the helm of the Justice Department and a major critic of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

I dont know Matt Whitaker, Trump told reporters on the White House lawn Friday. Matt Whitaker worked for Jeff Sessions and he was extremely highly thought of and he still is. But I didnt know Matt Whitaker.

But thats not what Trump told Fox & Friends last month.

I can tell you Matt Whitakers a great guy, the president had told the hosts of his favorite cable news program. I mean, I know Matt Whitaker.

Trump last month: \"Matt Whitakers a great guy. I know Matt Whitaker.\"

Trump today: I dont know Matt Whitaker.\" #WhitakerMustRecuse pic.twitter.com/eCKOzHwLeH

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Trump last month: "Matt Whitakers a great guy. I know Matt Whitaker."

Trump today: I dont know Matt Whitaker." #WhitakerMustRecuse pic.twitter.com/eCKOzHwLeH
Scott Dworkin (@funder) November 9, 2018

After being shown a clip of Trumps Whitaker comments on Fox & Friends, Conway told Fox News Sunday that the president did indeed know Whitaker and that he somehow hadnt meant to suggest otherwise last week.

The president does know Matt Whitaker, has gotten to know him over the course of the last year since he has been the chief of staff to the attorney general, Conway told Fox News Chris Wallace.

The presidents point is its not like hes putting a friend in there who hes known for his entire life, she continued. Hes putting somebody who has been working at the Department of Justice for 13 months now in a very senior position.

Trump announced Sessions resignation on Wednesday, after more than a year of the president publicly bashing the attorney general over his decision to recuse himself from overseeing Muellers probe.

Democratic lawmakers sharply criticized Whitakers appointment to lead the Justice Department, fearing Muellers critic could be readying to pull the plug on the Russia investigation.

Whitaker, before becoming Sessions chief of staff in September 2017, had suggested the Mueller probe could be a witch hunt and declared that there was no collusion between Trump and Russia during the election.

I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced with a recess appointment and that attorney general does not fire Bob Mueller, but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt, Whitaker said in a July 2017 interview with CNN .

When asked if Trump knew of Whitakers opposition to the Russia probe before appointing him acting attorney general, Conway told Wallace that she wasnt sure.

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Im not aware of that because its not even clear to me that Mr. Whitaker has been briefed on the Mueller investigation, Conway said. He has been the chief of staff to a recused attorney general.

Wallace continued to press Conway, asking how Whitaker could fairly oversee the Mueller investigation given his prior comments. But Conway downplayed the acting attorney generals past criticism of the investigation.

We are so far past the period in which those comments were made by Matt Whitaker as a private citizen, said Conway, adding that the White House has been nothing but compliant with the special counsels team.

The president has said he has not discussed the Mueller investigation with Whitaker, she continued. Ive never been witness to them discussing it. And Ill go a little bit farther, it would be a mistake to try to shut down the Mueller investigation, in the way that you describe it, because weve been so compliant.