The obstruction of justice investigation into Trump began days after Comey was sacked on May 9, according to people familiar with the matter, the Washington Post said. "Is the President now considering firing special prosecutor Robert Mueller who is now overseeing the Russian Federation investigation", speculated ABC Anchor David Muir during World News Tonight.
No longer is he merely focused on Moscow's efforts to interfere in the 2016 election, meaning he also appears to be zeroing in on Trump's actions since taking office on January 20.
Mueller has wide authority to look into matters related to Russian election meddling, including collusion with Trump operatives, financial links between Trump and Russia, and Trump's possible efforts to obstruct the inquiry.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday responded to fired FBI Director James Comey's testimony that he had "implored" him "to prevent any future direct communication between the President and me".
The Senate Judiciary Committee is launching a wide-ranging probe into the circumstances behind the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, the media reported.
But to Mr. Trump, the testimony, which amounted to "lies", by Mr. Comey, also served as a "vindication" that he had not personally been under investigation, as he claimed throughout the campaign. Comey was sacked May 9.
It's the charge that Democrats hope is true when it comes to President Trump, which is that he obstructed justice when he asked then-FBI Director James Comey to let the investigation into his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, go. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.
And while he had recused himself from the Russian Federation probe, Sessions insisted, "I did not recuse myself from defending my honor against scurrilous and false allegations".
"It would be premature for me to deny the president a full and intelligent choice about executive privilege", he said.
"He didn't recall this, but I responded to his comment by agreeing that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice needed to be careful to follow department policy" regarding contacts with the White House, Sessions said.
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Jet Capital Investors LP decreased Ball Corp (NYSE:BLL) stake by 256,000 shares to 569,000 valued at $42.72 million in 2016Q4. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 75,383 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,664,278.62.
"The FBI's leak of information regarding the president is outrageous, inexcusable and illegal, " said Mark Corallo, spokesman for Trump's outside legal team.
The apparent obstruction probe immediately conjures memories of the Watergate scandal.
As even Comey stated last week, Trump is not a target of any investigation about Russia's alleged role in the election.
Sanders has since denied that Trump intends to do so.
But the nation's top law enforcement official - who recommended Comey's dismissal last month - has himself become a focal point in the crisis roiling the White House.
NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines told NPR's Phil Ewing, "NSA will fully cooperate with the special counsel".
Chris Ruddy, a Trump friend and the CEO of the conservative website Newsmax, raised the possibility of the president considering terminating Mueller, a potentially explosive option. If he declined, Trump would have to fire him and find another DOJ official willing to do so - a scenario that would be reminiscent of the Watergate era and its infamous "Saturday Night Massacre". "I am following the historic policies of the Department of Justice". In 1973, Nixon turned to the third-ranking Justice official, Solicitor General Robert Bork, who fired Cox in his capacity as acting attorney general. Richardson refused, and instead resigned.
He added that Comey, after being uncomfortable with the airplane meeting between former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and former President Bill Clinton, had "stepped up and done what his duty is, I think".
Ultimately, Robert Bork, at the time solicitor general, fired Cox.
The Post report only further embroils Trump and his presidency in legal problems that also feature lawsuits from the District of Columbia and Maryland, as well as almost 200 congressional Democrats, over his business holdings and foreign governments.
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