Donald Trump’s allies pile pressure on Russia probe
Special prosecutor Robert Mueller is facing a coordinated attack from Republicans and right-wing media

Attempts to discredit the investigation into Donald Trump’s links with Russia intensified over the weekend as Republicans claimed special prosecutor Robert Mueller illegally gained access to emails sent as the US President prepared to take office.
The organisation Trump for America says thousands of emails sent and received by officials on Trump’s transition team, which operated between his election and swearing-in, were handed over unlawfully to Mueller by the General Services Administration (GSA), the government agency which oversaw the transition.
The Guardian says it is “unclear how revelatory the email accounts maintained by the GSA will be for Mueller” - but one of the officials who used transition email accounts was former national security adviser Michael Flynn. He pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI in January and is now cooperating with Mueller’s investigation.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
With the net tightening around the President’s inner circle, the accusation of wrongdoing “adds to the growing friction between his supporters and Mueller’s office as it investigates whether Russia interfered in the election and if Trump or anyone on his team colluded with Moscow”, reports Reuters.
Democrats claim there is a wide-ranging effort by the President’s allies on Capitol Hill and in some media outlets to discredit the investigation. On Friday, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, said he feared top Republicans were manoeuvring to shut down the committee’s investigations and weaken Mueller, a former FBI director who is well respected on both sides of the aisle.
Trump responded by protesting his innocence again, telling reporters: “There is absolutely no collusion. That has been proven.” However, he further added to perceptions he is trying to undermine the investigation by declining to rule out presidential pardons for anyone convicted of collusion.
His comments followed a week of attacks by the President and his supporters on Mueller and the FBI. They claim the law enforcement agency is biased against Trump and seeking to bring him down no matter what they find.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The anti-Mueller, anti-FBI fervour has been driven partly by “a campaign by Fox News and other conservative media sources”, says CNN.
The news network says the right-wing commentariat and Trump’s criticism of the FBI are part of a “vicious circle” in which TV hosts encourage Trump, then Trump supplies sound bites for their shows, which further emboldens the hosts.
For several months, conservative news sources have been heavily covering every perceived conflict of interest involving the special counsel and every alleged scandal involving the leadership of the FBI.
“The anti-Mueller rhetoric in conservative media right now is part of a feedback loop,” Nicole Hemmer told CNN Money.
“Conservative media personalities know Trump hates the investigation and wants it shut down,” she said. “They bash the investigation and Mueller, and when Trump sees that happening it reinforces his belief that the investigation is illegitimate and that he should do something to end it.”
This has led to reports that Trump is seriously considering taking the nuclear option of firing Mueller, something his critics say could lead to the sort of constitutional crisis not seen since the Watergate scandal, which led to the downfall of Richard Nixon.
-
‘The Taliban delivers yet another brutal blow’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Renewables top coal as Trump seeks reversal
Speed Read For the first time, renewable energy sources generated more power than coal, said a new report
-
Prime minister shocks France with resignation
Speed Read French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu submitted his government’s resignation after less than a month in office
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
The GOP: Merging flag and cross
Feature Donald Trump has launched a task force to pursue “anti-Christian policies”
-
Five key questions about the Gaza peace deal
The Explainer Many ‘unresolved hurdles’ remain before Donald Trump’s 20-point plan can get the go-ahead
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?
Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day