President Trump May Be Under Investigation for Possible Obstruction of Justice

Originally, the White House cited Comey's handling of Hillary Clinton's private e-mail servers as the reason for his dismissal, but the claim was quickly discredited by the president himself, who told NBC News that his decision was indeed sparked by "this Russian Federation thing", which he calls a fake story.

The White House said Trump thinks Sessions "did a very good job" in his testimony.

He said if he did see the ambassador at the function, it was only in passing, but he couldn't recall it.

The Washington Post reported late Wednesday that special counsel Robert Mueller is seeking interviews with three Trump administration officials who weren't involved in Trump's campaign. Comey said he found Trump's emptying of the room before he made the request "significant", and took the comment itself as a "direction".

When asked by Sen. It is doubtful the White House could ultimately use executive privilege to try to block them from speaking to Mueller's investigators.

Officials said one of the exchanges of potential interest to Mueller took place on March 22, less than a week after Coats was confirmed by the Senate to serve as the nation's top intelligence official.

Sessions' responses triggered an explosion by Sen. A plurality (45 percent) of Americans said they trust Comey more, compared with 32 percent who said they trust Trump. "Rubio, probably so", Sessions replied.

Jack Goldsmith, a Harvard Law professor who headed the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel during the George W. Bush administration, offered a careful assessment of the consequences of a Mueller firing early Tuesday on the Lawfare blog. (Message: I'll protect you.) He allegedly told Comey the next day, "I hope you can let this go".

When Wyden accused him of not answering the questions about Comey's reported remark that his behavior after recusing himself from the Russian Federation probe was "problematic", Sessions chuckled and then launched into his most theatrical defense of his actions. When asked about a letter he wrote recommending firing Comey, Rosenstein said that Mueller could be looking into the decision-making process for the firing - and he was therefore "not at liberty to talk about that now". And lawmakers throughout the hearing pressed Sessions on providing emails and other documents to them.

Then Sessions downplayed Comey's request that he never be left in the room alone with Trump again, saying, "he gave me no detail about what it was that he was concerned about".

Whether Trump can tolerate a free-ranging investigation, directed by Mueller, that could raise questions about the legitimacy of his Electoral College victory, the topic that most sparks his rage, will be a critical test for a president who has continued on Twitter and elsewhere to flout the advice of his staff, friends and legal team. "Since you discussed his removal, why wouldn't you discuss the reasons?"

When Republican Chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina interjected and noted that "the senator's time has expired", a wide grin swept across Sessions' face, as he looked up at the chairman and former colleague. "I did not attend any meetings at that event separate", Sessions said.

He was repeatedly asked if he and Donald Trump had discussed the Russian Federation investigation before James Comey was sacked, and refused to answer.

"Many have suggested that my recusal is because I felt I was a subject of the investigation myself, that I may have done something wrong", Sessions added. "I'm not talking about campaigns".

Mr Trump has repeatedly called the Washington Post's reporting "fake news".

Looking into whether Trump obstructed justice means that Mueller is also examining the circumstances surrounding Comey's firing, which was obviously not part of the original federal probe led by Comey when he still had a job as FBI director. He said he never met with, or had conversations with, Russians about election interference.

"I have confidence in Bob Mueller", said top congressional Republican Paul Ryan.