Donald Trump has attacked special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the US presidential election he won in 2016.
He tweeted that the inquiry was unfair – and reiterated there had been “no collusion” between his election campaign and Russia. He added that it was dominated by “hardened Democrats” and supporters of his defeated opponent Hillary Clinton. Mr Mueller, a highly regarded former head of the FBI, is a Republican.
Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added…does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2018
The president’s comments came a day after his lawyer, John Dowd, said it was time for the special counsel’s investigation to end. Initially Mr Dowd said he was speaking for the president but later clarified he was “speaking for myself”.Mr Trump’s latest tweet – apparently the first time he has mentioned Mr Mueller by name in attacking the inquiry – drew warnings from fellow Republicans about interfering with the investigation.
In earlier tweets, the president also berated former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, who was fired by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday just two days before he was due to retire, and former FBI director James Comey, whom Mr Trump sacked last year. The latter firing led to the Mueller investigation being set up. Mr Trump accused Mr Comey of lying under oath before Congress, and described the contemporaneous notes that Mr McCabe and Mr Comey took following discussions with him as “fake memos”. Mr McCabe has given memos about conversations he had with President Trump to the Mueller inquiry, US media say. The memos could support claims that Mr Trump sought to obstruct justice. Mr Mueller has so far indicted 19 people.
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