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International desk: US President Donald Trump announced Friday he is under investigation in connection with a probe into alleged Russian election meddling that is gnawing away at his administration — and gathering pace.<\/p>\nInternational desk: US President Donald Trump announced Friday he is under investigation in connection with a probe into alleged Russian election meddling that is gnawing away at his administration — and gathering pace.<\/p>\n
The Republican leader also lashed out at the Justice Department's number two, the man tasked with organizing the probe.<\/p>\n
The furious early morning barrage of tweets — his second in as many days — came as the special counsel investigating Russia's influence over his election pieced together a high-caliber legal team and readied to begin interviews.<\/p>\n
Trump is accused of firing FBI director James Comey over his refusal to steer the Russia investigation away from former national security advisor and Trump ally Mike Flynn.<\/p>\n
The US president has denied trying to influence the investigation, but has acknowledged in an interview that Russia was on his mind when he dismissed Comey.<\/p>\n
“I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt” he tweeted from the White House shortly before a day trip to Miami.<\/p>\n
That appeared to be the first public confirmation that Trump is being investigated for obstruction of justice — and a digital salvo trained at Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who wrote a memo criticizing Comey.<\/p>\n
A source on Trump's legal team attempted to clarify the missive, claiming he was reacting to media reports about the investigation rather than offering public confirmation.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, special counsel Robert Mueller — a respected former FBI director — has sought to beef up his investigatory firepower.<\/p>\n
Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, told AFP he now has “13 attorneys on board, with several more in the pipeline.”<\/p>\n
That will only add to a sense of foreboding that pervades the White House, from the crammed collective workspaces of junior officials all the way to the Oval Office.<\/p>\n
The widened Russia probe could have far-reaching repercussions for Trump's presidency, transforming his closest aides into witnesses and sucking even more political oxygen out of the West Wing.<\/p>\n
Trump was set to escape the Washington pressure cooker on Saturday. Accompanied by First Lady Melania, he will make his first trip to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.<\/p>\n
A weekend at the rustic mountain getaway is a far cry from the president's normal routine of jetting off to one of his lavish resorts, mainly Mar-a-Lago in Florida.- ‘Rude awakening' –<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence took what he later described as a “very routine” step of hiring outside counsel to represent him.<\/p>\n
Pence tapped far-from-average lawyer Richard Cullen, who litigated the 1980s Iran-Contra scandal, the Watergate affair and the 2000 vote recount in Florida.<\/p>\n
As the legal rope has tightened, Trump's allies have gone on the offensive, questioning Mueller's credibility and floating the idea he may be fired.<\/p>\n
Trump's apparent attack on Rosenstein also raised further questions about whether he will stay in his position or recuse himself from the investigation.<\/p>\n
“As the deputy attorney general has said numerous times, if there comes a point when he needs to recuse, he will. However, nothing has changed,” said Ian Prior, a Justice Department spokesman.<\/p>\n
Top Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein expressed concern that Trump may try to fire both Mueller and Rosenstein, warning “he's in for a rude awakening” if he thinks he can shut down the investigation.<\/p>\n
“Even his staunchest supporters will balk at such a blatant effort to subvert the law,” Feinstein said.<\/p>\n
– ‘Witch hunt' –<\/p>\n
Trump also lashed out at the media, on a day that aides hoped would be focused on his decision to undo some of Barack Obama's detente with Cuba.”After 7 months of investigations & committee hearings about my ‘collusion with the Russians,' nobody has been able to show any proof. Sad!” Trump tweeted.<\/p>\n
“The Fake News Media hates when I use what has turned out to be my very powerful Social Media – over 100 million people! I can go around them.”<\/p>\n
Trump's young presidency has been battered by allegations — under investigation both by Congress and the FBI — that Russia interfered to sway the 2016 election in his favor, in possible collusion with Trump's campaign team.<\/p>\n
The president has long vehemently denied any collusion with Moscow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
International desk: US President Donald Trump announced Friday he is under investigation in connection with a probe into alleged Russian election meddling that is gnawing away at his administration — and gathering pace. The Republican leader also lashed out at the Justice Department’s number two, the man tasked with organizing the probe. The furious early […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":34184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n