JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump said on Wednesday [9-26-18] that he wants to keep in place the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, amid speculation about Mr. Rosenstein’s future, which was thrust into doubt by revelations that he had discussed secretly taping the president and removing him from office. The two were scheduled to meet on Thursday [9-27-18] to discuss Mr. Rosenstein’s comments, which were revealed in a New York Times article last week, prompting Mr. Rosenstein to tell senior White House aides over the weekend that he was considering resigning. Asked during a news conference at the United Nations whether he planned to fire Mr. Rosenstein, Mr. Trump said, ‘I would certainly prefer not doing that.’ Mr. Trump added: ‘We’ve had a good talk. He says he never said it, he doesn’t believe it, he gets a lot of respect from me. He’s very nice, and we’ll see.’”
–Katie Benner, “Trump Says He’s Open to Keeping Rod Rosenstein at Justice Dept.,” The New York Times online, September 26, 2018