Trump: I’m victim of worst ever witch-hunt

DONALD Trump yesterday claimed he was a victim of the ‘greatest political witchhunt’ in US history after a former FBI chief was appointed to investigate his alleged links to Russia.

Robert Mueller has sweeping powers to examine suspicions Moscow helped Mr Trump win the presidency last year.

The move ups the stakes in the scandal that has been compared to Watergate.

It is the biggest legal threat to a president since Kenneth Starr was hired to investigate Bill Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky scandal, which led to his failed impeachment. Special counsel Mr Mueller has almost total independence and the authority to prosecute any crimes he uncovers. Mr Trump, who was told of the appointment only after it had been confirmed, lashed out on Twitter, asking why former rival Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama had not been probed.

He wrote: ‘With all of the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special councel [sic] appointed! This is the single greatest witch-hunt of a politician in American history!’

The development comes after Mr Trump was accused of trying to block an investigation into alleged collusion with Russia by firing FBI chief James Comey.

The President has also admitted sharing allegedly classified information with Russians in the Oval Office. And he is accused of previously asking Mr Comey to drop his investigation into disgraced former national security advisor Michael Flynn. Vietnam veteran Mr Mueller, who headed the FBI for the decade after September 11, has a reputation as a tough lawman who has stood up to presidents in the past. ÷ Speeches at next week’s Nato summit will reportedly last no longer than four minutes to keep Mr Trump’s attention.

Officials are expected to repeat his name and use maps and graphs. They have included Mr Trump’s name in ‘as many paragraphs as we can because he keeps reading if he’s mentioned,’ a source said.