Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani joining Trump legal team along with others
President Donald Trump has expanded his legal team and hired an old friend, former New York city Mayor Rudy Giuliani, ABC News has confirmed — a move which comes on the heels of shake-ups on the president's legal team.
In a statement, President Trump’s attorney, Jay Sekulow confirmed the hiring along with two other attorneys.
“Rudy is great. He has been my friend for a long time and wants to get this matter quickly resolved for the good of the country,” President Trump said in a statement released by his attorneys.
‘It is an honor to be a part of such an important legal team, and I look forward to not only working with the President but with Jay, Ty, and their colleagues,” Giuliani said in a statement.
The Washington Post first reported the Giuliani hire.
Giuliani was a top surrogate for the President during the 2016 campaign, often seen by his side at multiple campaign rallies.
"I'm sick and tired of the defamation of Donald Trump by the media and by the Clinton campaign,” a fiery Giuliani said during the 2016 Republican Convention. “I am sick and tired of it! This is a good man!”
For the last several months, the Trump legal team has been in active negotiations with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team working toward a potential interview, which would include either a face-to-face interview with parameters, a written questionnaire or some mix of both, sources have told ABC News.
The last reported meeting the Trump team had with the special counsel's office was on the same day that FBI agents in New York raided the home, office, and hotel of Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen. Sources told ABC News it was after the Cohen said that the President has since been “less inclined” to sit down for an interview with Mueller’s team.
Giuliani enters the arena after the president’s lead attorney John Dowd abruptly resigned in March. Sources told ABC News at the time that Dowd resigned in part because he felt the president was not taking his advice.
The Trump legal team on Thursday also announced the hiring of Jane Serene Raskin and Marty Raskin.
According to a statement released by the team: “Jane and Marty are highly respected former federal prosecutors with decades of experience. They have a nationwide practice and reputation for excellence and integrity.”
ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Jordyn Phelps contributed to this story.
