Mueller report: Pelosi refuses to comment on impeachment proceedings against Trump after revelations

'Congress of the United States will honour its oath of office to protect and defend the constitution,' House speaker says

House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi has refused to comment on whether Congress could launch impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump in the wake of damning revelations in the newly released Mueller report.

"Whatever the issue and challenge that we face, the Congress of the United States will honour its oath of office to protect and defend the constitution of the United States, to protect our democracy," Ms Pelosi told journalists in Belfast when asked about possible impeachment proceedings.

"The legislative branch has a responsibility of oversight of our democracy and we will exercise that."

Robert Mueller's report on his special counsel investigation into the Kremlin's role in the 2016 US election provided extensive details of links between the Trump campaign and Russians, as well as multiple instances in which the president attempted to interfere in the probe.

Democratic leaders, including Ms Pelosi, have previously played down talk of impeachment, especially now the 2020 election is coming into view.

But influential members of the party, including congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, yesterday backed a resolution calling for Mr Trump's impeachment.

"While I understand the political reality of the Senate + election considerations, upon reading this DoJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate," Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Thursday.

Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the House judiciary committee, said his reading of the report showed Mr Trump "almost certainly obstructed justice" and it was only his staff intervened to prevent certain actions.

"We have a very serious situation on our hands," he said. "It's an awesome and solemn responsibility that Congress has now to try to deal with the crisis that's contained in this report."