Trump submits written answers to questions from special counsel: Giuliani
By Karen Freifeld (Reuters) - U.S.
By Karen Freifeld
(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has submitted written answers to questions from Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said on Tuesday.
Giuliani said in a statement that "much of what has been asked raised serious constitutional issues and was beyond the scope of a legitimate inquiry."
But he added that the president provided "unprecedented cooperation" and that it was time to "bring this inquiry to a conclusion."
A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment.
When Mueller was appointed special counsel in May 2017, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said the probe would include “any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation” into possible collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia during the 2016 election.
Trump has denied any collusion with Moscow and has called the Mueller investigation a "witch hunt." Russia also has denied collusion.
Giuliani told Reuters earlier that Trump would respond to questions about whether his campaign conspired with Moscow, not queries related to whether he sought to obstruct the probe while in office, which Mueller is also probing.
Among the topics Trump covered was a June 2016 meeting between the president's son Donald Trump Jr., other members of Trump's campaign team and a group of Russians, a source said last week.
Trump last summer denied knowing about the Trump Tower meeting with the Russians, who had promised damaging information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the election to try to tip it towards Trump by undermining Clinton.
Mueller has already brought charges against some former Trump aides, including his former campaign chairman and his former national security adviser, as well as a number of Russian individuals and entities.
Trump's lawyers have been negotiating with Mueller's prosecutors since last year over whether the president would sit for an interview. Trump himself has offered mixed responses.
In an interview that aired on Sunday, he told "Fox News Sunday" that he was unlikely to agree to an interview, explaining that "we've wasted enough time on this witch hunt and the answer is, probably, we're finished."
It is unclear whether Mueller would subpoena him to testify, likely setting off a legal and political battle.
Earlier this month, Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions and appointed Matthew Whitaker as his replacement on an acting basis, renewing calls for legislation to protect Mueller's work. As a private citizen, Whitaker criticized the Mueller probe.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has opposed such legislation.
(Reporting by Karen Freifeld in Miami; Editing by Peter Cooney)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
also read
France, Germany to agree to NATO role against Islamic State - sources | Reuters
By Robin Emmott and John Irish | BRUSSELS/PARIS BRUSSELS/PARIS France and Germany will agree to a U.S. plan for NATO to take a bigger role in the fight against Islamic militants at a meeting with President Donald Trump on Thursday, but insist the move is purely symbolic, four senior European diplomats said.The decision to allow the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to join the coalition against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq follows weeks of pressure on the two allies, who are wary of NATO confronting Russia in Syria and of alienating Arab countries who see NATO as pushing a pro-Western agenda."NATO as an institution will join the coalition," said one senior diplomat involved in the discussions. "The question is whether this just a symbolic gesture to the United States
China's Xi says navy should become world class | Reuters
BEIJING Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for greater efforts to make the country's navy a world class one, strong in operations on, below and above the surface, as it steps up its ability to project power far from its shores.China's navy has taken an increasingly prominent role in recent months, with a rising star admiral taking command, its first aircraft carrier sailing around self-ruled Taiwan and a new aircraft carrier launched last month.With President Donald Trump promising a US shipbuilding spree and unnerving Beijing with his unpredictable approach on hot button issues including Taiwan and the South and East China Seas, China is pushing to narrow the gap with the U.S. Navy.Inspecting navy headquarters, Xi said the navy should "aim for the top ranks in the world", the Defence Ministry said in a statement about his visit."Building a strong and modern navy is an important mark of a top ranking global military," the ministry paraphrased Xi as saying.