JULIAN Assange's legal team has said he could appeal to US President-elect Donald Trump to end a criminal probe against him in the US.

The WikiLeaks founder was interviewed inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London this week in the presence of prosecutors from Sweden, where he faces a sex allegation he denies.

4 Julian Assange may appeal to Donald Trump to drop the US probe against him Credit: PA:Press Association

4 Assange's lawyer Jennifer Robinson said she had reached out to the Obama administration to drop the investigation Credit: Reuters

Assange's lawyer Jennifer Robinson said the WikiLeaks founder had co-operated fully with the interview and hopes the Swedish prosecutor will give "impartial and objective" consideration so the matter can be closed.

She said: “It is important to remember that he has never been charged and has already been cleared once by the previous prosecutor.

“We hope and expect that the prosecutor will come to the same conclusion.”

Robinson added that her client had also been under criminal investigation in the US for his publishing work with WikiLeaks since 2010 under the Obama administration.

The American probe is the main reason Assange has given over the years for refusing to leave the embassy.

He has previously expressed his belief the Swedish sex claims are just a cover, with the Scandinavian country set to extradite him to the US to face charges over WikiLeaks.

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Robinson said: “We have repeatedly called for the investigation to be closed on the grounds it violates the First Amendment, and places a chill on freedom of speech and reporting.

“Through US counsel, we had reached out to the Obama administration – most recently just a few months ago.

“And we will continue to do so with future US administrations until the investigation is closed.”

Robinson’s comments have raised the prospect that Donald Trump’s new administration could drop the probe, paving the way for Assange to finally leave the embassy.

4 Some credited WikiLeaks with winning the election for Trump after the group leaked emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign team Credit: Getty Images

4 Swedish prosecutors came to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to interview Assange this week Credit: AP:Associated Press

WikiLeaks was suspected by some of favouring the Republican candidate in the recent presidential election, with Clinton seen as being unlikely to stop the American pursuit of its founder.

The organisation leaked thousands of documents including emails belonging to the Democrat’s campaign team in the run up to polling day.

They included Clinton vowing to “ring” China with missiles over the North Korea threat and some which revealed her closest aide had serious fears about her health.

The impact of the leaks upon the final result cannot be known for sure.

But Trump-supporting former KKK leader David Duke tweeted his thanks to WikiLeaks after Trump’s victory.

He wrote: “God bless Wikileaks – Julian Assange is a hero. America owes this man one thing – Freedom! Thank you, sir – Thank you! #wikileaks.”

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