Trump admits being under gaze of Russia investigation
President vents anger online at ‘witch hunt’ after confirming his sacking of FBI boss is part of inquiry
PRESIDENT Donald Trump confirmed yesterday for the first time that he was under investigation in the expanding inquiry into Russian influence in the election, as he apparently let his frustration spill out on to Twitter.
In an early-morning post, he acknowledged he was being investigated for dismissing James Comey as FBI director and then turned his fire on his deputy attorney general for leading what he described as a “witch hunt”.
Mr Trump used Twitter to powerful effect during his election campaign, but now runs the risk of providing evidence to the slew of investigations arrayed against him.
Yesterday, he wrote: “I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt.”
His words appear to single out Rod Rosenstein, who wrote a memo last month to Mr Trump raising concerns about the performance of James Comey, later fired as head of the FBI.
When Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, recused himself from the Russia investigation, it was up to Mr Rosenstein, his deputy, to appoint a special counsel to lead the inquiry.
In another tweet, Mr Trump made much of the fact that no one from his election team has yet been directly accused of colluding with Russian efforts to sway the election result. “After 7 months of investigations & committee hearings about my ‘collusion with the Russians’, nobody has been able to show any proof. Sad,” he said.
Yet the cloud of suspicion seems to deepen with every passing day. Robert Mueller, the special counsel, has been assembling a team of forensic investigators as he looks into the Russian hack.
Judges last week cited Mr Trump’s tweets as they upheld a block on his travel ban.
Dianne Feinstein, a Democratic Senator from California who sits on the intelligence committee, said she feared Mr Trump might be preparing to fire both Mr Rosenstein and Mr Mueller. “The message the president is sending is that he believes the rule of law doesn’t apply to him and that anyone who thinks otherwise will be fired,” she said.
The White House is directing all questions about the Russia investigations to outside legal counsel, which has yet to respond. While the inquiries began examining any links between the Trump campaign and Russian
‘I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt’
hackers, the president’s tweet appeared to confirm they are also looking at claims he obstructed justice by dismissing the FBI director.
Yesterday it emerged that the most senior lawyer for his transition team had sent an internal order to members telling them to preserve all records and other materials related to the Russia inquiry. They include travel itineraries, phone logs, audio recordings, calendars and electronic communications.
Senior figures have retained outside legal representation to help deal with the investigations. Mike Pence, the vice-president and head of Mr Trump’s transition team, was the latest to confirm he has hired a private lawyer.
Trump advisers and confidants describe the president as increasingly angry over the investigation, yelling at television sets in the White House carrying coverage and insisting he is the target of a conspiracy to discredit – and potentially end – his presidency.