Trump then endorsed Putin’s idea for how the special counsel’s investigation should operate going forward: Russian law enforcement would agree to interrogate the 12 Russians that Mueller had indicted — and allow members of his team to observe those interrogations — in exchange for the United States agreeing to interrogate American intelligence officials whom the Kremlin has accused of committing crimes against Russia (with Russian law enforcement in the room).
“We would expect that the Americans would reciprocate,” Putin explained, “and they would question officials, including the officers of law enforcement and intelligence services of the United States, who we believe have something to do with illegal actions on the territory of Russia, and we have to request the presence of our law enforcement.”
Trump praised this “interesting idea,” and suggested that Putin’s offer as evidence that his government did not interfere in the 2016 election.