The FBI has obtained a warrant to begin searching newly discovered emails belonging to Huma Abedin, a top aide of Hillary Clinton.

Agents are attempting to examine as many of the emails as possible before election day on November 8. However the fact that there are 650,000 emails has led to fears that the new investigation could last weeks, and, if Mrs Clinton wins the election, hamper the early part of her presidency.

“The process has begun,” a federal law enforcement official said.

Emboldened by the latest scandal to engulf the Democratic presidential nominee, Donald Trump now has a possible path to victory next week and has been targeting Democratic states. Mrs Clinton now leads by just a point in the latest Washington Post/ABC poll - she had enjoyed a 12-point margin last week.

The new emails were discovered on a device seized during an unrelated underage sexting investigation into former New York congressman Anthony Weiner, who is Ms Abedin's estranged husband.

It remains unclear what connection, if any, the newly discovered emails might have to the Clinton email investigation.

Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, last night accused James Comey, the FBI director, of possibly breaking federal law by announcing the new steps in the email investigation so close to the election.