President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani has said during a television interview that "truth isn't truth" referring to Trump's possible testimony to Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election.
Giuliani told NBC's Meet the Press that he was not going to let Trump be rushed into giving evidence before the inquiry because he might be "trapped into perjury".
Host Chuck Todd had suggested the Trump team was trying to delay his appearance at the inquiry.
NBC host Chuck Todd warned Rudy Giuliani that he was about to become a "bad meme" for suggesting that "truth isn't truth". Source: NBC
"When you tell me that, you know, he should testify because he's going to tell the truth and he shouldn't worry, well, that's so silly because it's somebody's version of the truth. Not the truth," Guiliani said.
"Truth is truth," Todd responded.
"No, no, it isn't truth," Giuliani said. "Truth isn't truth. The President of the United States says, "I didn't ..."
Todd again interjected, asking Giuliani if he understood what he was saying.
"I think this is going to become a bad meme," Todd warned Giuliani.
Rudy Giuliani had said his boss Donald Trump will be interviewed by Robert Mueller "over his dead body". Source: AAP
Giuliani's comment echoed Trump aide Kellyanne Conway's infamous use of the term "alternative facts" on the same program last year.
Ms Conway was defending the President's claims to have attracted big crowds for his inauguration, despite photos showing numbers were well down on President Barack Obama's swearing-in.
Todd responded at the time: "Alternative facts are not facts. They're falsehoods."
Former FBI director James Comey on Sunday appeared to respond to Giuliani's claims, tweeting that: "Truth exists and truth matters".
In an earlier interview, Giuliani said facts were in the eye of the beholder when challenged by CNN's Chris Cuomo about Trump's "level of mendacity".
"It's in the eye of the beholder," Giuliani responded.
"No, facts are not in the eye of the beholder," Cuomo countered.
"Yes it is - yes they are. Nowadays they are," Giuliani claimed.
Trump has repeatedly described the Russian probe as a "witch hunt" but has said he is willing to speak to Robert Mueller.
His legal team is more cautious and are still negotiating the term's of Trump's possible testimony.
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