PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP has attacked investigations into whether his team colluded with Russia to tilt the 2016 election in his favour as the “greatest witch hunt” in US history.
It comes after the US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein named former FBI director Robert Mueller as special counsel tasked with investigating allegations that Trump’s campaign collaborated with Russia during the contentious vote.
The decision follows Trump’s abrupt dismissal of the FBI Director James Comey last week.
Democrats have repeatedly issued calls for a special prosecutor to be appointed to lead the investigation into alleged Russian links.
“With all of the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special councel [sic] appointed,” Trump tweeted this morning, shortly before 7am Washington time.
The ‘witch hunt’ phrase appeared in his second tweet of the morning:
This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!
He did not provide any further detail of the alleged “illegal acts” carried out by the Clinton campaign or the Obama White House.
This morning’s outburst on social media followed an initial response to the appointment of Mueller more in keeping with the sort of language typically used in political and diplomatic circles.
In a statement released by the White House last night, Trump said that the investigation would confirm “there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity”.
“I look forward to this matter concluding quickly. In the meantime, I will never stop fighting for the people and the issues that matter most to the future of our country,” he said.
Mueller can choose whether to consult with or inform the Justice Department about his investigation.
He now has the right to investigate “any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump,” according to Rosenstein’s order naming him to the post.
With additional reporting from AP.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say