Emails sent by Trump aides given to inquiry

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian contacts with Donald Trump’s campaign has gained access to thousands of emails sent and received by the president’s officials before the start of his administration.

The investigators did not directly request the records from Trump’s stillexisting transition group, Trump for America.

They were instead obtained from the General Services Administration (GSA), a separate federal agency that stored the material.

The tens of thousands of emails are linked to 13 senior Trump transition officials.

Many of the emails include national security discussions about possible Trump international aims as well as candid assessments of candidates for top government posts.

Kory Langhofer, general counsel for the transition group, has sent a letter to two congressional committees arguing the GSA had improperly provided the records to Mr Mueller’s investigators.