Trump, in a series of tweets on Sunday referencing what he called “phony Trump/Russia ‘collusion’ which doesn’t exist”, accused Democrats of a “witch hunt” and “evil politics”, before adding that Republicans were “fighting back like never before”.
The outburst followed reports in CNN, Reuters and the Wall Street Journal that the team led by special counsel Robert Mueller had filed its first charges under seal on Friday.
The Russia investigation has cast a shadow over the US president’s nine months in office, and has widened the partisan rift between Republicans and Democrats.
US intelligence agencies concluded in January that Russia interfered in the election to try to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton by hacking and releasing embarrassing emails and disseminating propaganda via social media to discredit her. Mueller is also investigating whether Trump campaign officials colluded with those Russian efforts.
The investigation has been circling some of Trump’s closest confidants, such as his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and his former campaign manager Paul Manafort. Federal law enforcement officials raided and searched Manafort’s Virginia home this summer.
Trump and his supporters have disparaged Mueller and tried to portray him as a sympathiser of Clinton and James Comey, the FBI chief fired by Trump.
On Sunday, the president sought to focus attention instead on supposed scandals involving Clinton, demanding authorities “do something”. As he did so, his most bullish defender strove to cast doubt on the reach and integrity of Mueller.
“We have to have the public have confidence in the fact that the grand jury process is secret and, as a result, is fair,” the New Jersey governor, Chris Christie, told ABC.
Trump tweeted furiously – without referencing the sealed indictment outright.
“Never seen such Republican ANGER & UNITY as I have concerning the lack of investigation on Clinton,” the president wrote.
“Instead they look at phony Trump/Russia, ‘collusion’, which doesn’t exist. The [Democrats] are using this terrible (and bad for our country) Witch Hunt for evil politics, but the [Republicans] are now fighting back like never before.
“There is so much GUILT by Democrats/Clinton, and now the facts are pouring out. DO SOMETHING!”
He concluded: “All of this ‘Russia’ talk right when the Republicans are making their big push for historic Tax Cuts & Reform. Is this coincidental? NOT!”
Appearing on multiple news shows on a difficult day for the White House, Christie raised the possibility Mueller’s team was engaged in criminal leaks to the media.
“It’s supposed to be kept secret,” he said on CBS’s Face the Nation. “There are very strict criminal laws about disclosing grand jury information. Now, depending upon who disclosed this to CNN, it could be a crime.”
Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Christie said he “hoped” the news was not traceable to Mueller’s team. “As a [former] prosecutor,” he said, “I can tell you that was the thing that we emphasized the most with our prosecutors and our agents was, ‘Let me tell you something: we will prosecute you if we find that you leaked this stuff.’”
Following Trump’s pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, an ardent supporter, political observers have wondered if the president will wield such powers to remove the pressure on those below him. Asked on CNN if Trump might be considering “pre-emptive pardons”, Christie said: “I’ve never seen the president talk about that.”
Arpaio, Christie noted, was not convicted of a crime related to Trump’s campaign or election.
Mueller’s investigation has expanded to examine whether Trump officials attempted to stymie the investigation, or were involved in money laundering or tax evasion. Mueller was appointed as special counsel after Trump fired James Comey as director of the FBI, a move he told NBC was made because of “this Russia thing”.
Earlier this month, Mueller’s team also questioned Sean Spicer, Trump’s former spokesman, and Reince Priebus, his former chief of staff.
Some Republicans in Trump’s orbit, such as the former White House adviser Sebastian Gorka, have called for Mueller to step down. Many observers have suggested that firing Mueller, a possibility floated by Trump surrogates, would trigger congressional action against the president.
On ABC on Sunday, Christie said: “The last public word we have on any of this is that the president himself is not under investigation.”
