Special counsel tightening investigation into Trump as he holds rally in Texas
As President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Texas on Thursday night, the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election is reported to have intensified its focus on the president's actions while in office.
Robert Mueller and his team have been looking into whether Trump obstructed justice when he fired former FBI director James Comey and have been probing the president's potential financial ties to Russia.
According to reports, Mueller has now shifted his attention to Trump's actions after he took office, including his decision to fire Comey and his role in drafting a misleading statement about his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016.
The intensifying focus on Trump comes as his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his former lawyer Michael Cohen face charges from Mueller's team.
Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has called the investigation a “witch hunt.” At the rally in Houston, he praised the “tremendous success” of his administration and criticized the investigation.
“The Russia hoax continues,” he said. “It's a hoax. They can keep running it, but it's a hoax.”
The intensifying investigation has prompted speculation that Mueller could be close to wrapping up his probe, although there is no indication of how long it will take.
Regardless of the outcome, the investigation has been a source of constant controversy and speculation since it began in 2017. And as the special counsel tightens his focus on the president, the pressure on Trump is likely to increase.
