Trump 'wants FBI to interview' Julie Swetnick in Brett Kavanaugh investigation

There is controversy about scope of week-long probe

Donald Trump has claimed he would be happy if the FBI interviewed all three of the women who have accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual offences.

Amid criticisms that the White House had limited the scope of an additional background check into his Supreme Court nominee, Mr Trump said it was up to FBI agents to speak to whomever they wanted to, including Mr Kavanaugh. He also said if the probe turned something up about his nominee, he would have to look at it.

Asked if the bureau should speak to the three women who have accused Mr Kavanaugh – Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Smetnick – the president responded: “It would not bother me at all. I don’t know the third accuser. I’m sure they’re going to interview two of them.”

He added: “The third, I don’t know much about, but it would not bother me at all. I have heard that the third accuser – I don’t know this to be true – has very little credibility. If there is any credibility, interview the third one.”

On Monday, the New York Times reported FBI agents had been directed by the White House and senate Republicans to interview just four people – Mr Kavanaugh’s friend Mark Judge, PJ Smyth, another high school friend, Leland Keyser, a high school friend of one of Ms Ford and Ms Ramirez.

Michael Avenatti, a lawyer representing Ms Smetnick, said it was very wrong that she was not being given a chance to speak to agents.

“It is outrageous that my client has not been contacted by the FBI because Trump is instructing them not to. He is trying to ram through a nomination by purposely preventing the truth from being known. This is a threat to our very democracy,” he tweeted.

“Be clear: 1. I CANNOT just walk my client into an FBI office. We tried that. They claim they don’t have jurisdiction and they refuse to take a stmt. 2. While we may file a criminal complaint, that will have no bearing on any vote due to timing. We will proceed with other options.”

Former FBI Director James Comey wrote an op-ed saying it appeared the limited nature of the probe was “designed to thwart the fact-gathering process”.

“If truth were the only goal, there would be no clock, and the investigation wouldn’t have been sought after the Senate Judiciary Committee already endorsed the nominee,” he wrote in the Times.

“Instead, it seems that the Republican goal is to be able to say there was an investigation and it didn’t change their view, while the Democrats hope for incriminating evidence to derail the nominee.”

At the White House, where Mr Trump started by talking about a new trade deal agreed with Canada and Mexico – the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) – the president initially declined to answer questions about his nominee.

As journalists continued to press him he said he wanted the FBI to do a “comprehensive investigation” into sexual assault allegations against Mr Kavanaugh, while seeking to suggest he would leave the parameters of the probe to Senate Republicans.

“I want them to do a very comprehensive investigation. Whatever that means, according to the senators and the Republicans and the Republican majority, I want them to do that,” Mr Trump said. “With that being said, I’d like it to go quickly.”

He also said he was happy agents spoke to Mr Kavanaugh again. “It’s up to them. I think the FBI should interview anybody they want, but within reason.”

Reports from Capitol Hill suggest Republicans are determined the investigation satisfies the concerns of three senators in particular – Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Jeff Flake. It was Mr Flake who pressed for the probe, threatening to withhold his support if it did not take place.

Mr Trump said he instructed White House counsel Don McGahn over the weekend to give the FBI a free hand to interview whatever witnesses the agency considered necessary. Mr Flake said he was in close touch with Mr McGahn’s office to ensure a thorough investigation.

“We certainly want the FBI to do a real investigation and we are working to make sure that happens,” Mr Flake said at an event in Boston, according to Reuters. “It does no good to have an investigation that gives us more cover, for example. We actually need to find out what we can find out.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the chamber will vote this week on Mr Kavanaugh. A spokesman for Mr McConnell declined to clarify whether McConnell was referring to procedural votes or a final vote on whether to confirm the judge.

Meanwhile, two more Yale classmates of Mr Kavanaugh, Dan Murphy and Chris Dudley, have released statements on the nominee saying they never saw him blackout while drinking.

At the same time, in a letter sent on Monday to the White House and FBI, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee provided the names of more than than two dozen people they would like to see interviewed as part of the probe.