Trump lashes out at ‘bad,’ ‘conflicted’ Russia investigators

WASHINGTON — A heightened sense of unease gripped the White House on Thursday, as President Donald Trump lashed out at reports he’s under scrutiny for obstructing justice and aides repeatedly deflected questions about the probe.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that special counsel Robert Mueller is widening his investigation to examine whether the president attempted to obstruct justice.

A defiant Trump at multiple points Thursday expressed his frustration with reports about that development, tweeting he is the subject of “the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history,” and one that he said is being led by “some very bad and conflicted people.”

Trump, who only a day earlier had called for a more civil tone in Washington following shootings at a Republican congressional baseball practice, fired off several more tweets in the afternoon voicing disbelief that he was under scrutiny while his “crooked” Democratic opponent in last year’s election, Hillary Clinton, escaped prosecution in relation to her use of a private email server while secretary of state.

At the White House, aides sought to portray a sense of normalcy, staging an elaborate event to promote a Trump job-training initiative, while simultaneously going into lockdown mode regarding Mueller’s probe.

At a previously scheduled offcamera briefing, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the principal deputy White House press secretary, was peppered with more than a dozen questions about ongoing investigations over the course of about 20 minutes. In keeping with a new practice, she referred one after another to Trump’s personal lawyer.

Sanders, for example, was asked if Trump still felt “vindicated” by the extraordinary congressional testimony last week by James Comey, the FBI director whose firing by Trump has contributed to questions about whether the president obstructed justice.

“I believe so,” Sanders said, before referring reporters to Marc Kasowitz, Trump’s private attorney.

On Capitol Hill Thursday, Russian election meddling and related issues were also a prominent part of the agenda.

Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats spent more than three hours in a closed session with the Senate Intelligence Committee, just days after he refused to answer lawmakers’ questions in an open session about his conversations with Trump regarding the Russia investigation.

Several GOP lawmakers said they think Mueller should be able to do his job — including probing possible obstruction by Trump — but added they were eager to put the probe behind them.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the second-ranking Senate Republican, said he retains confidence in Mueller and that he’s seen nothing so far that would amount to obstruction by Trump.

“I think based on what he said then, there doesn’t appear to be any there there,” Cornyn said. “Director Mueller’s got extensive staff and authorities to investigate further. But based on what we know now, I don’t see any basis.”