Fury at looming charges
US President Donald Trump has lashed out in an erratic Twitter tirade a day before the first charges are expected to be filed in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Mr Trump accused Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party of using the investigation as a “witch hunt for evil politics”.
He also said that the conversation about Russia was a distraction to prevent Republicans from passing tax reform.
The Republican’s attack comes after Robert Mueller, the special counsel heading the wideranging probe into whether there was collusion between Russia and members of Mr Trump’s presidential campaign, empanelled a grand jury in the case.
CNN has reported, and other media have confirmed, that the grand jury has brought its first charges stemming from Mr Mueller’s probe.
It is not known who was charged or what they were charged with, but CNN said details could possibly be made public overnight.
Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion between Russia and members of his White House campaign, and denounced the probe as a “political witch hunt”.
The most important role of a grand jury is to determine whether the evidence presented merits bringing charges.
If so, an indictment is produced and a case may go to trial. Even before that, though, grand juries have the power to issue subpoenas compelling witnesses to testify or for documents to be produced.