Report: Mueller seeks to question Trump

WASHINGTON: The special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US elections is reported to be seeking to interview President Donald Trump regarding his decision to fire FBI director James Comey.

US media speculated Robert Mueller’s interview with Trump could be about alleged obstruction of justice, attempts to hamper the investigation, and alleged collusion by his campaign team — Comey has said Trump asked him to drop an FBI probe into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was fired for lying about his Russia contacts.

Investigators from Mueller’s office interviewed attorney general Jeff Sessions last week, and quizzed CIA chief Mike Pompeo and national intelligence director Dan Coates in December 2017.

There was no confirmation of the move to interview Trump.

Asked if Trump would submit to an interview by Mueller, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Tuesday: “We’re going to be fully cooperative with the special counsel and we’re going to continue to do that throughout the process. But we’re also not going to comment on who may or may not, or could be interviewed at any point.”

Trump has vigorously denied there was any collusion by his campaign with Russian interference and has called the probe a “witch hunt”.

Experts noted that the move by Mueller could indicate the investigation was in its final stages.