Giuliani takes a long time to explain and defend this one Trump tweet

President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani spoke to reporters Wednesday in defense of the president's tweet where he said Attorney General Jeff Sessions needed to stop special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference.

"Put up or shut up - what do you got?"

Giuliani said that Trump's tweet was not a presidential order, but rather a statement of his opinion. He also defended the opinion that the special counsel's investigation should be brought to a close.

"We believe that the investigation should be brought to a close," Giuliani said to the press. "We think they're at the end of it."

"They should render their report, put up, I mean I guess, if we were playing poker you'd say put up or shut up, what do you got?" he added.

"We have reason to believe they don't have anything," Giulani claimed. "The president didn't do anything wrong."

When asked if the tweet was a directive to Sessions, Giuliani denied it. "No it isn't," he answered. "It isn't at all, it's what it is is, what we said immediately, is an opinion."

"And he used his, he used a medium that he uses for opinions. Twitter," Giuliani explained. "One of the good things about using that is he's established a clear sort of practice now that he expresses his opinions on Twitter."

"He used the word 'should' he didn't use the word 'must.' And there was no presidential directive that followed it," he added.

"He didn't direct him to do it, and he's not going to direct him to do it," he added declaratively.

Here's CNN video of Giuliani's comments to the press:

Giuliani said that it was within the right of the president to have the Muller investigation stopped, but that he wasn't going to do that, but instead allow the probe to continue to its natural end.

"A disgrace to USA!"

The president's lawyer was referring to tweets from the president published Wednesday morning.

"...This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further," Trump tweeted.

"Bob Mueller is totally conflicted," he added, "and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!"