Craigslist advert mocking Trump's difficulty finding Russia investigation attorneys goes viral

Mr Trump is currently without a lead lawyer to handle his Russia investigation response

A parody Craigslist advert mocking President Donald Trump for his reported difficulty securing legal counsel has gone viral on Twitter.

The advert, which runs with the subject line “Seeking lead attorney for difficult client”, was posted anonymously Tuesday, with the contact listed as “Gen Kelly”, referencing Mr Trump’s chief of staff, General John Kelly.

“Seeking a lead attorney to represent client involved in an ongoing Federal investigation,” the advert reads. “Working knowledge of social media, especially Twitter is a plus, as is a better than average knowledge of the adult film industry and a collection of Playboy magazines from 1985-2010.”

The advert is referencing numerous reports that top lawyers in Washington have refused to join Mr Trump’s legal team aimed at representing the president in his interactions with the special counsel investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election.

Mr Trump’s lead personal attorney, John Dowd, recently announced his resignation, after reported differences between him and his client made the situation unworkable. Mr Dowd was expected to be replaced by lawyer Joseph diGenova, but that plan reportedly soured when Mr diGenova backed away from the arrangement.

The president, in apparent response to the reports that he is having trouble securing legal counsel, took to Twitter this week to boast that the reports are wrong, and that he has a long list of lawyers who would like to be a part of his team.

“Many lawyers and top law firms want to represent me in the Russia case...don’t believe the Fake News narrative that it is hard to find a lawyer who wants to take this on,” Mr Trump wrote. “Fame & fortune will NEVER be turned down by a lawyer, though some are conflicted.”

The Craigslist advert continues on to poke fun at Mr Trump’s apparent obsession with the physical image of those who work with him, listing requests for the lawyer to “look the part” and be a “Gregory Peck or Tommy Lee Jones type”.

Mr Dowd’s resignation came as the president’s legal team is in negotiations with special counsel Robert Mueller’s team about Mr Trump potentially being interviewed as a part of the investigation. Mr Trump, it has been reported, has privately said he thinks that he should assent to the interview, even as he ramps up rhetoric against Mr Mueller’s investigation in public.

The viral advert takes note of that reported, and of the idea that lawyers might think it would be risky to allow Mr Trump to testify since he is known to frequently speak off the cuff.

“Must be prepared to work with a client who is very forceful and opinionated about his defence and is his own best counsel,” the advert says. “Basically your job boils down to keeping him from testifying under oath and hoping the rest comes out in the wash.”