Let us assume that Trump was (temporarily) caught off guard with the recusal and appointment. This would appear to be inconsistent with Trump's knowledge that he was being wire-tapped back in 2016 (h/t Rogers). OTOH, a grand, multi-level counter strategy involving Mueller, et al also appears highly unlikely.
However, the core issue is this: what does it matter whether Mueller was a deep state Trumpian 3D maneuver or a key part of a coordinated conspiracy to commit treason? What actually matters is what is occurring here & now, not an egotistical argument over who may or may not be (partially) right.
What I am suggesting is to evaluate the various movements taking place in a multitude of different theaters, and attempt to pull it all together into one cohesive view of the ongoing (cold) civil war. Now that the battle lines are firming up, it should be crystal clear to everyone that Trump is using/allowing the House committees to provide an **independent** path of inquiry based on IG and other evidence as discovered/presented.
Congress represents only one side of the pincer movement; the other is a SC yet to be named. Sessions can maintain his recusal (and image of WH independence) while allowing a Giuliani type to go medieval on the deep state asses. No matter where it is assigned - perhaps FBI/DOJ corruption would be the easiest starting point - it can anywhere & everywhere afterward: F1, CF, Pizza, Iran, etc, etc, etc. Armed with the recent EO, it will be an incredibly powerful weapon that will destroy our domestic enemies. So, the absolute key here is to get another SC - this is what Trump is shooting for.
Now, I've raised this point before: do you think Trump will win? If so, then why the bickering & constant looking back? Why not face forward and envision a world where the rule of law is restored? Without the yoke of oppression, and foreign savings repatriated for new capital investment, the US economy is going to take off like a rocket. Don't you want to be part of that?
Trump will will -- it won't even be the ghost of a shell of a contest -- but he had to suss out who was reliable in the GOP-e, the CIA, the FBI, the nominated staffers -- in real time, while being subject to the press, the "dossier," a crooked Special Prosecutor -- all backed by the full illegal cooperation and money of any number of foreign interests.
That meant he had to make absolutely sure of every element of everything in his counteroffensive: and that took time.
The look on McCuckold's face while announcing the passage of the tax bill; the look on Ryan's face at the same photo op; coupled with McCuckold's passing 17 judicial nominees in an hour yesterday, *and* announcing that in Jan. he would push Trump's immigration priorities instead of Flake and DACA -- indicates capitulation, in a way which indicates that McCuckold *knows* President Donald J. Trump has the winning hand.
The frenzied demeanor of MSNBC et al. coupled with editorials by such as Holder and Yates, indicate that the targets within the swamp *know* what's coming: but that they can't defend the other members of the swamp by name lest they suffer even greater legal repercussions.
Sorry but I don't see whether Trump knew if he was being surveilled would have kept him from being surprised that Rosenstein appointed Mueller less than 24 hours after being given the authority to do so.
As Trump said at the time "I'm being investigated for firing the Director of the FBI, by the guy who told me to fire the Director of the FBI! Witch Hunt!"
There's no way to know where this is headed. As you can see here, we can't even agree on where the battle lines are drawn. But the sources I quote are simply Trump, his supporters in Congress and the media, and on the other side those defending the DOJ starting with Sessions. If you simply listen to them, it's clear where the battle lines are.
Let us assume that Trump was (temporarily) caught off guard with the recusal and appointment...
No way.
Have a wonderful, meaningful Christmas.