Mueller probe called a ‘witch hunt’

Trump takes to Twitter to slam the investigation

WASHINGTON— U.S. President Donald Trump complained on social media about the wide-ranging investigation of Russian interference in the U.S. election as Robert Mueller appeared to widen his probe to include whether Trump tried to obstruct justice.

“You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history — led by some very bad and conflicted people!” Trump wrote on Twitter, in a pair of messages that ended with a reference to his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”

Trump expressed annoyance about news reports that the probe is now believed to include an examination of whether he obstructed justice by firing FBI director James Comey, who had earlier led the Russia investigation. Shortly after Trump fired Comey, a Justice Department official tapped Mueller to take up the investigation as a special counsel.

Trump’s tweets are the latest — and most direct — attacks on the leader of an investigation that he insists is unnecessary and distracting. All week, some of Trump’s most ardent defenders, including his son Donald Trump Jr., his White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway, and friend and occasional adviser Newt Gingrich have questioned the probe in similar ways.

Gingrich, the former House Speaker, continued to defend Trump Thursday morning. He wrote in multiple social media posts that he views Mueller — a long-serving former FBI director respected by both parties — as leading a biased probe with the singular aim of dislodging Trump.