Trump 'under investigation' by special counsel

Donald Trump is being investigated for possibly obstruction of justice by the special counsel looking into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections, the Washington Post reports.

Citing anonymous officials with knowledge of the investigation, the Post says Robert Mueller has requested three senior intelligence officials be interviewed on the matter.

"Daniel Coats, the director of national intelligence, Mike Rogers, the head of the National Security Agency, and Richard Ledgett, until recently Mr Rogers' deputy, agreed to be interviewed by investigators," the BBC says.

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The White House referred all questions regarding the investigation to Trump's personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, who criticised the Post's report.

He said: "The FBI leak of information regarding the President is outrageous, inexcusable and illegal."

The allegations reportedly centre on Trump's attempts to get former FBI director James Comey to drop an investigation into ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn.

"Trump had received private assurances from then-FBI director James Comey starting in January that he was not personally under investigation. Officials say that changed shortly after Comey's firing," the Washington Post says.

The broadening of the investigation marks the first time the President himself may be personally implicated and comes days after Trump confidante Chris Ruddy publicly revealed Trump was considering firing Mueller from his role.