Rudolph W. Giuliani[1] says he can get the best out of Donald Trump[2] as he vigorously defends him and lashes out at his enemies, allowing the president to focus on landmark achievements.
“I think the value that I bring to this is I understand him in a way that few other people do,” Mr. Giuliani[3], the president’s attorney and spokesman, said in an interview with The Washington Times.
“I also understand how to use him correctly,” he said. “This is one of the smartest guys you’re going to meet. And a lot of people underestimate that. They don’t get the best out of him. I thought I did during the campaign. I did a lot of the debate preparation with [former New Jersey Gov. Chris] Christie. And the two of us together got the best out of him.”
Mr. Giuliani[4] and President Trump[5] are reunited in a new campaign. This time, it’s Mr. Trump[6] versus special counsel Robert Mueller, his shop of mostly Democratic prosecutors, a rapacious liberal press and the other political party, some of whom want impeachment.
Mr. Trump[7]’s legal team went through a spring shake-up with the departures of career criminal defense lawyers John Dowd and Ty Cobb.
The president turned to an allied New Yorker who has been a federal prosecutor and a big-city mayor who is capable of quoting law and unleashing political assaults.
Mr. Giuliani[8] sees himself as the perfect arrival, giving the president a trusted friend in a White House that undergoes constant turnover. Old campaign comrades have left; those who remain cannot talk Trump[9]-Russia with the president since Mr. Mueller is interviewing everyone.
John McEntee, an aide constantly at Mr. Trump[10]’s side, was the latest to leave abruptly in March. Before that, Hope Hicks, his White House communications director and formerly Trump Organization executive, resigned after testifying before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
“The people around him, a lot of these people are gone,” Mr. Giuliani[11] said. “They knew what they were doing. And some of the people he knows, such as [Trump[12] son-in-law] Jared [Kushner], really can’t communicate with him. Or Don, his son, because they can’t communicate about this. They can talk about public policy.”...
Mr. Giuliani[13]’s task? “To me, this is like public service. This will free him up even more to accomplish remarkable things with Korea, China, Iran, which I’m really very interested in.”Asked how he likes working for the real estate mogul turned anti-establishment, America-first president, Mr. Giuliani[14] said, “I did it during the campaign and loved it. For many years, he’s been my best friend or close to my best friend. I understand him.”Early on, Mr. Giuliani[15] appeared as a fiery Trump