Trump news: Mueller testimony says president could face criminal charges as Trump rails against 'disaster' hearing

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Mueller says he 'generally' agrees with sentiment that Trump officials lies inhibited his investigation

Robert Mueller, the former US special counsel who investigated the Russian interference into the 2016 presidential campaign and Donald Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, has testified on Capital Hill, where he was asked to explain the conclusions he reached in his report released earlier this year.

The whole world was watching, and Democrats skilfully laid out the various ways in which Mr Mueller's report shows the president obstructed justice by trying to end the Mueller report.

They said they had 10 to list, in all.

Mr Trump had repeatedly attempted to downplay or dismiss Mr Mueller’s reluctant appearance on Capitol Hill — which was forced through a subpoena — to discuss his 448-page report into the 2016 election and its aftermath, but has attacked Mr Mueller's testimony anyhow, and has claimed Mr Mueller may have been conflicted because he had interviewed for a job as FBI director just before getting his job as special counsel (Mr Mueller had done that job before, had been praised for his work in that job, and denied he had interviewed for that job as the president says).

During the first half of his testimony, Mr Mueller indicated that a major reason the president was not charged was that Justice Department rules prohibit it. Mr Mueller did note that he believes a president could be charged with a crime after leaving office.

In the end, Democrats appeared to be laying the groundwork for further investigations into Mr Trump's political world, with top leaders pledging to follow the money trail to determine if the president had acted unlawfully.

And, with the future in mind, Democrats repeatedly asked Mr Mueller if the president could be charged with a crime once he leaves office. They said he could.

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[24 July 2019 18:26 · Clark Mindock]

Representative Jim Himes notes that Donald Trump has not recognized that Russians worked to influence the 2016 presidential election.

He also noted that Congress is divided over whether Russia believed Mr Trump would be an asset.

[24 July 2019 18:27 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Mueller confirms Russia attempted to help Mr Trump, much more than they hoped to help Hillary Clinton.

[24 July 2019 18:30 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Mueller says he cannot recall being asked to exclude anything from his report.

[24 July 2019 18:31 · Clark Mindock]

Representative John Ratcliffe, who was a part of the hearing this morning, is now back up.

[24 July 2019 18:31 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Mueller says he does not expect there to be any changes or new conclusions to his report.

[24 July 2019 18:32 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Ratcliffe is asking about Mr Mueller's discussion about the impact of the OLC decision on his determination not to determine if Mr Trump had committed a crime.

[24 July 2019 18:35 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Mueller is asked again about whether he had established conspiracy, and he said he would pass on that question.

[24 July 2019 18:36 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Mueller is now being asked about the June 9, 2016 meeting in Trump Tower.

[24 July 2019 18:41 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Mueller has confirmed he did not include the word "collusion" in his report because it is not a legal term.

[24 July 2019 18:43 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Mueller says, once again, that his report does not exonerate Donald Trump.

Representative Michael Turner just brought out a bunch of legal textbooks, and asked Mr Mueller if the attorney general has the power to exonerate someone. Mr Mueller refused to engage in that discussion.