Trump news: Mueller hints he was blocked from charging president with obstruction of justice in damning resignation speech
Special counsel says if his team could have cleared the president of a crime 'we would have said so'
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FBI special counsel Robert Mueller spoke out about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, saying Donald Trump could not have been charged due to Justice Department guidelines that bar indictments against a sitting president.
The special counsel focused most of his statement on Russia's sweeping interference operations, concluding his remarks by saying, "There were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election. And that allegation deserves the attention of every American."
Mr Mueller declined to exonerate the president since he did not have enough evidence to clear him of a crime, the special counsel noted on Wednesday, which marked his first statement made directly to the public since beginning his investigation two years ago.
The special counsel made clear he believed he was restrained from indicting a sitting president — such an action was “not an option” — because of a Justice Department legal opinion. He did not use the word ‘impeachment” but said it was Congress’ job to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing.
“If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so,” he said. “We did not however make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime.”
Mueller investigation: The key figures
Show all 12The special counsel's statement largely echoed the central points of his 448-page report released last month with some redactions. But his remarks, just under 10 minutes long and delivered from a Justice Department podium, were nonetheless extraordinary given that he had never before discussed or characterised his findings and had stayed mute during two years of feverish public speculation.
Mr Mueller, a former FBI director, said his work was complete and he was resigning to return to private life. For his rare appearance, he wore a black suit, crisp white shirt and blue tie, walking briskly onto the stage gripping a folder containing prepared remarks that he largely adhered to.
His remarks underscored the unsettled resolution, and revelations of behind-the-scenes discontent, that accompanied the end of his investigation. Mr Mueller’s refusal to reach a conclusion on criminal obstruction opened the door for William Barr, the attorney general, to clear the president, who in turn has cited the attorney general’s finding as proof of his innocence.
Mr Mueller has privately vented to Mr Barr about his handling of the report, while Mr Barr has publicly said he was taken aback by the special counsel’s decision to neither exonerate nor incriminate the president.
Under pressure to testify before Congress, Mr Mueller did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is “my testimony,” he said, and he won’t go beyond what is written in it.
“So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work,” Mr Mueller said, “I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load
Here's a beauty from yesterday you might have missed: Trump's transportation secretary Elaine Chao (almost as obscure and low-key a presence within the administration as missing-in-action energy secretary Rick Perry) has retained shares in a road-paving company more than a year after the date she promised to relinquish them, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Her shares in Vulcan Materials have risen in value nearly 13 percent during that time, netting her a cool $40,000 (£31,625) gain.
Again, how's that swamp draining going Donald?
Among the crowded field of Democrats running for the presidency in 2020, one who has struggled so far to distinguish himself or shake off that nagging just-another-white-man tag is Massachusetts congressman Seth Moulton.
His appearance on MSNBC's Kasie DC over the weekend though did give him a national stage on which to make a name for himself and he took it with relish, attacking President Trump in no uncertain terms over his non-existent military record and questioning his patriotism.
"Part of his job is to be commander-in-chief, and I have never seen a weaker commander-in-chief in American history," Moulton, a former Marine Corps officer, told interviewer Kasie Hunt.
"The way that he cozies up to our enemies and abandons our allies across the globe, insults our own troops, American heroes like John McCain, it’s very hard to imagine anyone going into combat that actually trusts this commander in chief.
"One of the first things you learn when you join the military is that you can drop out of a run and they’ll let you try again, you can fail a test and they’ll let you take that test again, but if you lie about anything, you’re gone that afternoon. That’s how important trust is in the military."
With Trump coming to Britain next week, just when Theresa May is stepping down over her comprehensive failure to find a solution to Brexit, Downing Street is at pains to reassure the White House it will not be a wasted trip.
"The US is our closest ally and she looks forward to taking the opportunity to further the deep and special relationship which we have," a spokesman said.
He acknowledged "they will want to have a discussion" about the announcement on her leadership "but, as we have always said, this is a very deep and longstanding relationship between our two countries which is obviously bigger than any prime minister, or indeed president".
Trump was kind about May when he heard of her resignation last week, saying: "I feel badly for Theresa. I like her very much. She is a good woman. She worked very hard. She is very strong."
Arriving on Monday, he will meet with an assorted members of the royal family during his 3-5 June trip and will apparently spend time with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at a D-Day memorial event, which promises to be the mismatched buddy comedy of the summer.
In Washington, Commons speaker John Bercow defended his refusal to allow Trump to speak to Parliament, saying he'd never actually received a request that he be allowed to do so and expressing regret for extending the privilege to Xi Jinping of China in 2015.
Elsewhere in Washington, Republican congressman Austin Scott has rebuked members of his own party as "clowns" for blocking the quick passage of an $19.1bn (£15bn) disaster relief bill, intended to help farmers hard hit by Hurricane Michael last October.
Republicans Thomas Massie and Chip Roy objected to the bill being passed in a pro forma session, when most representatives are back home with their constituents, rather than through a full roll call vote with everyone present in the lower chamber, which would not happen for another week at least.
President Trump is expected to sign the disaster aid package once it reaches his desk.
If you're wondering who Chip Roy is, this is all you need to know.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has issued a vivid response after being featured among a montage of "enemies of freedom" during a Memorial Day TV spot aired at a minor league Fresno Grizzlies baseball game, highlighting the frequency with which she, as a young woman espousing progressive causes, receives death threats.
Also featured in the offending piece, for which the team has apologised, were the late Fidel Castro and President Trump's dear friend Kim Jong-un.
Trump himself has mocked AOC as "a young bartender" and called The New York Times and Washington Post "enemies of the people" so surely bears some portion of the blame for creating the climate in which such dangerous rhetoric can flourish.
He's up and attempting to prevent disgraced senator Roy Moore from running again Alabama in 2020.
"NOTHING" against Moore? A man accused of sexual misconduct with underage girls?
That tweet actually follows this from Don Jr yesterday.
Iconic tweet from Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters, chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee.
I know this isn't strictly political but by the beard of Zeus... Just look at that thing! Yours at the Trump Hotel Vancouver for for $120 (£95).
"Subtly is not our strength, indulgence is".
Eric's clearly a fan.
Donald Trump is back in Washington, though he doesn’t exactly have much planned for the day.
The first thing on his schedule is an intelligence briefing set for 11:30 am, followed by a ceremonial swearing-in for the president and chairman of the board of directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States at 12:15 pm.
He’ll then dine with Vice President Mike Pence at 12:30 pm and meet with the secretary of state at 3:30 pm. All events are listed as closed to the press, so, it looks like we won’t be seeing much of the president today.
He’s certainly been tweeting, however:
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