Special prosecutor Robert Mueller, who is leading an independent investigation into Russian interference during the 2016 election, is investigating President Donald Trump. This according to a just-released Washington Post report.
The special counsel, appointed by the Justice Department, has a wide mandate and is investigating possible collusion between the Russian government and Trump’s staff. But the Post reports that the focus is also shifting to Trump himself.
The Post spoke with five unnamed sources, who said that Mueller would be looking into whether Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey constituted obstruction of justice.
Members of Trump’s national security team, including Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and head of the National Security Agency Adm. Mike Rogers, are set to speak with Mueller soon. Trump once asked both Rogers and Coats to issue public statements denying that evidence of collusion existed. It’s possible those actions too will be considered by the special counsel.
According to the Post‘s sources, the Justice Department began an investigation into Trump’s actions shortly after he dismissed Comey, which the president himself admitted was because of the Russia investigation. It is now the domain of Mueller’s team. Per the Post, Mueller has decided to continue that investigation.
Trump is now having his personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, handle all matters relating to Russia, in lieu of the White House counsel. When reached, a spokesman for Kasowitz said that “the FBI leak of information regarding the President is outrageous, inexcusable and illegal.”
Trump, on Twitter several weeks ago, called the investigation the single greatest witch hunt in politics.
H/T Washington Post