President continues to assail Mueller and Russia investigation and says ‘if you FIGHT BACK, they scream Obstruction!’

Donald Trump railed against the possibility he could be accused of obstruction of justice on Monday, saying he was merely “fighting back” against an investigation into a “phony crime that never existed”.

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On Sunday, the day after the New York Times reported that White House counsel Donald McGahn has spent 30 hours talking to Robert Mueller’s investigators, the president invoked in his defense the names of Richard Nixon and Joseph McCarthy, divisive figures from fraught periods in American history.

On Sunday evening, the Times also reported that by the end of this month charges could be laid against Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer who is being investigated regarding alleged fraud and his role in payments to women who claim to have had affairs with Trump.

In interviews, Cohen has hinted that he may consider a deal involving cooperation with Mueller.

In a fresh burst of angry tweets early on Monday, the president continued his attacks on the special counsel and his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, alleged collusion between Trump aides and Moscow and possible obstruction of justice.

“Where’s the Collusion?” Trump wrote. “They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed).”

Trump’s lawyer in the Russia investigation, Rudy Giuliani, has said collusion is not a crime.

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Trump added: “If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!”

Mueller is reportedly scrutinizing Trump’s tweets for evidence of obstruction of justice, looking for example at whether attacks against fired FBI director James Comey and Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, are part of an effort to improperly influence the investigation.

On Monday, repeating a spelling mistake made numerous times over the weekend, Trump thundered: “Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel [sic], only with my approval, for purposes of transparency.”

Trump frequently attacks Mueller, claiming he is discredited by supposed conflicts of interest and that his team is made up of Democrats. Mueller is a Republican; some of his investigators have donated to Democratic candidates.

The president continued: “Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone looking for trouble. They are enjoying ruining people’s lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side – the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more!

“Mueller’s Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!”

Trump and his surrogates have accused Mueller of seeking to influence the November midterm elections, in which Republicans will face a fight to hold on to the House of Representatives.

The Times report about Cohen said that if charges are not prepared by the end of August, prosecutors in New York will likely bring them after the midterms, following justice department policy regarding politically sensitive cases.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest John Brennan testifies on Capitol Hill. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

According to the New York Times, McGahn has spoken to Mueller about subjects including Trump’s attempts to fire the special counsel. The Times said McGahn is concerned that he could be made a scapegoat should attempts to obstruct justice be discovered. It also said the president’s lawyers have realized they do not know what McGahn told Mueller.



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In his Sunday tweets, Trump essentially confirmed the Times report but lashed out at the paper regardless, writing: “This is why the Fake News Media has become the Enemy of the People. So bad for America!”

Later on Monday morning the president responded to remarks by John Brennan, the former CIA director, about potential legal action over Trump’s decision last week to strip his security clearance.

Trump said he hoped “the worst CIA Director in our country’s history, brings a lawsuit. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He won’t sue!”

He added: “Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, it’s worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan. It certainly isn’t because of the good job he did! He is a political ‘hack’.”