Russia probe: Special Counsel Robert Mueller wants to question Donald Trump about 2016 election, says report

Washington: Special Counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller who is probing Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election wants to question President Donald Trump on the issue, a media report said on Tuesday. The Washington Post, citing two people familiar with Mueller’s plans, said the special counsel was seeking to question Trump about his ousting of FBI director James Comey and national security adviser Michael Flynn. The duo told the newspaper that Trump’s attorneys have worked out terms for the president’s interview with Mueller’s team that could be presented to the special counsel “as soon as next week”. “The president’s legal team hopes to provide Trump’s testimony in a hybrid form — answering some questions in a face-to-face interview and others in a written statement,” said the Post. [caption id=“attachment_3454530” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. AP[/caption] A day earlier, the US Justice Department had confirmed that Attorney General Jeff Sessions was questioned by Mueller on his investigation on potential links between the Trump campaign and Russia in the presidential election. Mueller has already interviewed several of the close aides and family members of Trump over the issue. Trump, earlier, had hinted that it “seems unlikely” that he would allow Mueller to “interview” him. Meanwhile, the White House today said it supports full transparency around a secret memo criticising the FBI but it was for the House Intelligence Committee to decide whether to release it or not. “We certainly support full transparency, and we believe that’s with the House Intel Committee to make a choice,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.