Donald Trump is very good at shooting off his mouth and shooting himself in the foot. If the Congressional Republicans want to protect him, they should protect him from himself by backing Robert Mueller.

President Donald Trump, left, listens with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., speaks with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, before a meeting with congressional leaders in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Donald Trump very often governs like a cartoon caricature of himself. He’s very shallow. If things aren’t going his way, he starts firing people in a great temper tantrum. If people don’t bow and scrape deferentially enough to him, he starts firing them with emotion. Trump makes staff changes as a way of lashing out.

Given how the Robert Mueller investigation is proving deeply embarrassing to Trump, showing how his campaign hires were disastrously bad, Trump appears ready to throw another fit, this time aimed at Mueller. Congressional Republicans can stop that, and save face both for Trump, and for the Republican Party.

If Congressional Republicans like Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan really support Donald Trump, really believe he’s innocent of wrongdoing both during and after the campaign, and want to shield the President from harming himself and his party, then they should put a strong wall between Trump and his ability to fire Mueller.

If a toddler is running around the house, and you love that child, then it’s smart to child proof the cabinets and electrical outlets. Donald Trump governs in much the same way, so if Republicans don’t want him to hurt himself, they should Trump proof the Russia investigation.