Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed for hours last week in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, the Justice Department confirmed Tuesday. He's the highest-ranking Trump administration official and first Cabinet member known to have submitted to questioning.

The interview came as Mueller investigates whether President Donald Trump's actions in office, including the firing of FBI Director James Comey, constitute efforts to obstruct the FBI probe into contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia. Trump's own lawyers are discussing the prospect of an interview with the president himself, and White House officials state publicly that they anticipate a resolution soon to the investigation.

The questioning of the country's chief law enforcement officer is a reflection of investigators' continued interest in whether the president took steps to improperly obstruct justice. That question has been at the heart of the investigation for months as agents and prosecutors have questioned multiple current and former White House officials.

Sessions himself is seen as a potentially important witness given his direct involvement in the May 9 firing of Comey. The White House initially said the termination was done on the recommendation of the Justice Department and cited a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that faulted Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email server investigation as justification.

But Trump said later that he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he fired Comey, and he had decided to make the move even before the Justice Department's recommendations.

Sessions was one of Trump's earliest and most loyal allies, the first senator to endorse him during the presidential campaign. They shared an ambitious law-and-order agenda that focuses on hawkish immigration policies and tough-on-crime strategies that engendered affection from many conservatives.

He has continued to push Trump's agenda on everything from gangs and the opioid crisis to religious freedom, giving the president credit every step of the way.

But his decision to step aside from the Russia investigation has strained their bond, and the two men now rarely speak directly. Trump saw the recusal as weak and disloyal, believing his attorney general should be doing more to protect him

Over the past several months Mueller investigators have spoken with other key people close to the president, including White House Counsel Don McGahn, former chief of staff Reince Priebus and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Mueller has conveyed interest in speaking with the president, and White House attorney Ty Cobb said that is "under active discussion" with Trump's individual lawyers. He said last week on a CBS News' political podcast, "The Takeout," that he expected the investigation to be wrapped up within weeks.

Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation in early March after acknowledging that he had had two previously undisclosed encounters with the Russian ambassador during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. He said at the time that it would be improper for him to oversee a probe into a campaign for which he was a vocal and prominent supporter.

Since then, Trump has lashed out repeatedly on Twitter at Sessions and the Justice Department.

People familiar with the matter have told The Associated Press that McGahn had contacted Sessions to urge him to retain control of the investigation. McGahn was acting at the behest of the president, according to one of those people, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly by name.

Rosenstein appointed Mueller, a former FBI director, to take over the Russia investigation one week after Comey was fired. He oversees the work of Mueller's investigators, but he told the AP in an interview last June that he, too, would recuse himself if his actions ever became relevant to the probe.

Sessions' attorney, Chuck Cooper, declined to comment, as did the White House.

Four people have so far been charged in the Mueller investigation, including former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Flynn and George Papadopoulos, a former campaign foreign policy adviser, have pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

Sessions' interview with the Mueller team was first reported by The New York Times.

++SOUNDBITES PARTIALLY COVERED BY VIDEO++

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 5 September 2017

1. FILE Various Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - 23 January 2018

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"Jeff Sessions is the country's chief law enforcement officer. He is the first cabinet member who has been known to be interviewed by Special Counsel Mueller. He's the highest ranking Trump administration official who we know, and what it indicates is a continued interest by Mueller and his team in questions about whether the president committed obstruction of justice while in office."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

3. FILE Various Jeff Sessions being sworn in as attorney general by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"What he actually most critically is involved in was the firing of FBI Director Jim Comey back in May, and that is one of the critical episodes of the Trump presidency that's been under investigation by Bob Mueller. And it's part of a series of questions as to whether the president took actions while in office to stymie the FBI investigation into contacts between his campaign and Russia. And you'll remember that Jeff Sessions was very important to that because he is somebody who endorsed the firing of Director Comey."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

5. FILE Jeff Sessions being sworn in as attorney general by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"We know that the special counsel's office has interviewed multiple current and former White House officials including the president's own son in law Jared Kushner, White House counsel Don McGahn and the former chief of staff Reince Priebus. We also know that special counsel Mueller has expressed interest in a potential interview down the road with the president."

US POOL

Washington - 9 February 2017

7. FILE Newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions arriving at the Department of Justice and shaking hands with staff

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"White House lawyer Ty Cobb has been on record as saying he anticipates the investigation will resolve soon. He's put a time frame of four to six weeks. We're not sure if that's actually going to happen. It's sort of hard to predict for anyone when these investigations will end."

Senate Republicans have mixed reactions to the surprise announcement that the Justice Department has appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to oversee a federal investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign in 2016.

The Justice Department on Wednesday appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller to lead the investigation. Mueller will have sweeping powers and the authority to prosecute any crimes he uncovers.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr who considered the appointment as a good decision said that ousted National Security Adviser Michael Flynn will not honor a subpoena issued by a Senate committee looking into Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Burr told reporters Thursday that Flynn's lawyer informed the panel he will not abide by a subpoena for private documents.

President Donald Trump lashed out at the appointment of a special counsel to investigate allegations that his campaign collaborated with Russia to sway the 2016 election, tweeting Thursday that it is "the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!"

Reactions from Congress to Mueller's appointment were mainly positive, even though Republicans had dismissed an independent outside investigation as unnecessary and duplicative of what congressional committees already are doing.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, says it's a "scandal" of Watergate proportions, and the only way to end it is to get out the full truth.

Republicans have largely stood behind Trump in the first months of his presidency as the FBI and congressional investigations into Russia's election meddling intensified. But GOP lawmakers have grown increasingly anxious since Trump fired Comey, who had been leading the bureau's probe - and after Comey associates said he had notes from a meeting in which Trump asked him to shut down the investigation into the Russia ties of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Washington - May 18, 2017

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Richard Burr, (R) North Carolina:

"General Flynn's lawyer said that he would not honor the subpoena and that's not a surprise to the committee. But we'll figure out on General Flynn what the next step, if any, is. But we're continuing on with a lot of interviews and through those interviews it leads us to additional document requests and additional individuals we'd like to talk to."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Richard Burr, (R) North Carolina:

"Director Comey is a public citizen now. He's not constrained by investigations and we think the most important thing that Director Comey can contribute now is an understanding by the American people of what transpired. We happen to think that an open hearing in front of the intelligence committee is the right way for him to do it since we've worked so closely with him and we respect him so much."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"Clearly foreign governments could interfere in our election, they did this time. They may be more successful next time. So the shape and the scope of the congressional investigation I think has dramatically changed. I respect the decision. Mueller is a good guy. But one of the big losers here is the public because we're not going to hear from Comey now most likely. I hope we do. I want to hear about the conversation. I want to know the context of it. But now that you have a special counsel, maybe that's off the table."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"I'm disappointed in many ways that the Congress may be taken out of the game now because we're a public venue. I thought Yates and Klapper were good. I thought Sally Yates was an excellent witness. I thought Klapper provided insight to the public that we all need to know, you know. It's our nation here. So hearings like that are probably now off the table, and too bad."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"I have reason to believe there may be emails between the Clinton campaign and Democratic officials and the Department of Justice during the Obama administration. There is a problem here with committee jurisdiction. If there were emails from the Clinton campaign of the Democratic operatives to the Department of Justice during the Clinton email investigation, I want to know about it."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ted Cruz. (R) Texas:

"I don't think appointing a special counsel was necessary. But if one was going to be appointed, I think Bob Mueller is an excellent choice. I've known Bob for two decades. And he is a serious law enforcement professional. He's someone who has been appointed positions by both Republicans presidents and Democratic presidents. And he's earned the trust on both sides of the aisles, from Republicans and Democrats. He is a fair minded, serious prosecutor. He led the FBI with great distinction. And I'm confident that he'll investigate the matter and follow the facts wherever they may lead."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. John McCain, (R) Arizona:

"In the respect that there is a new revelation almost everyday, like this morning there's a new revelation that there was more communications between the Trump campaign and the Russians in that respect that there is a new revelation every few days."

(Reporter question off camera): "How does the appointment of a special counsel change that?'

(McCain): "I think it's very important, but that is the investigate the criminal activity. The Senate and the House have to investigate the aspects of Russian activity from the standpoint of sanctions against Russia, what we do to counter these attacks, and all the aspects of cyber warfare."

SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Toomey, (R): Pennsylvania:

"Well my opinion of Bob Mueller is that he's terrific, completely unimpeachable in all respects and widely recognized as such by everybody. I never really was convinced that this is the best way to go. We have in the past when we've used special prosecutors and special counsels it hasn't always ended well. My view was always that the president should move quickly to get a completely unimpeachable leader of the FBI, preferably a Democrat so that there would be no doubt that that organization is being run by somebody who has no allegiance to Donald Trump."

Senate Republicans gave mixed reactions to the surprise announcement that the Justice Department has appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to oversee a federal investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign in 2016.

The Justice Department on Wednesday appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller to lead the investigation.

Mueller will have sweeping powers and the authority to prosecute any crimes he uncovers.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr who considered the appointment as a good decision said that ousted National Security Adviser Michael Flynn will not honor a subpoena issued by a Senate committee looking into Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Burr told reporters Thursday that Flynn's lawyer informed the panel he will not abide by a subpoena for private documents.

President Donald Trump lashed out at the appointment of a special counsel to investigate allegations that his campaign collaborated with Russia to sway the 2016 election, tweeting Thursday that it is "the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!"

Reactions from Congress to Mueller's appointment were mainly positive, even though Republicans had dismissed an independent outside investigation as unnecessary and duplicative of what congressional committees already are doing.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, says it's a "scandal" of Watergate proportions, and the only way to end it is to get out the full truth.

Republicans have largely stood behind Trump in the first months of his presidency as the FBI and congressional investigations into Russia's election meddling intensified.

But GOP lawmakers have grown increasingly anxious since Trump fired Comey, who had been leading the bureau's probe - and after Comey associates said he had notes from a meeting in which Trump asked him to shut down the investigation into the Russia ties of Flynn.

Washington - May 18, 2017

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Richard Burr, (R) North Carolina:

"General (Michael) Flynn's lawyer said that he would not honor the subpoena and that's not a surprise to the committee. But we'll figure out on General Flynn what the next step, if any, is. But we're continuing on with a lot of interviews and through those interviews it leads us to additional document requests and additional individuals we'd like to talk to."

++BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Richard Burr, (R) North Carolina:

"(Former FBI) Director (James) Comey is a public citizen now. He's not constrained by investigations and we think the most important thing that Director Comey can contribute now is an understanding by the American people of what transpired. We happen to think that an open hearing in front of the intelligence committee is the right way for him to do it since we've worked so closely with him and we respect him so much."

++BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"Clearly foreign governments could interfere in our election, they did this time. They may be more successful next time. So the shape and the scope of the congressional investigation I think has dramatically changed. I respect the decision. Mueller is a good guy. But one of the big losers here is the public because we're not going to hear from Comey now most likely. I hope we do. I want to hear about the conversation. I want to know the context of it. But now that you have a special counsel, maybe that's off the table."

++BLACK FRAMES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"I'm disappointed in many ways that the Congress may be taken out of the game now because we're a public venue. I thought Yates and Klapper were good. I thought Sally Yates was an excellent witness. I thought Klapper provided insight to the public that we all need to know, you know. It's our nation here. So hearings like that are probably now off the table, and too bad."

++BLACK FRAMES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"I have reason to believe there may be emails between the Clinton campaign and Democratic officials and the Department of Justice during the Obama administration. There is a problem here with committee jurisdiction. If there were emails from the Clinton campaign of the Democratic operatives to the Department of Justice during the Clinton email investigation, I want to know about it."

++BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ted Cruz. (R) Texas:

"I don't think appointing a special counsel was necessary. But if one was going to be appointed, I think Bob Mueller is an excellent choice. I've known Bob for two decades. And he is a serious law enforcement professional. He's someone who has been appointed to positions by both Republicans presidents and Democratic presidents. And he's earned the trust on both sides of the aisles, from Republicans and Democrats. He is a fair minded, serious prosecutor. He led the FBI with great distinction. And I'm confident that he'll investigate the matter and follow the facts wherever they may lead."

++BLACK FRAMES++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. John McCain, (R) Arizona:

"I respect that there is a new revelation almost everyday, like this morning there's a new revelation that there was more communications between the Trump campaign and the Russians in that respect that there is a new revelation every few days."

(Reporter question off camera: How does the appointment of a special counsel change that?)

"I think it's very important, but that is to investigate the criminal activity. The Senate and the House have to investigate the aspects of Russian activity from the standpoint of sanctions against Russia, what we do to counter these attacks, and all the aspects of cyber warfare."

++BLACK FRAMES++

SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Toomey, (R) Pennsylvania:

"Well my opinion of Bob Mueller is that he's terrific, completely unimpeachable in all respects and widely recognized as such by everybody. I never really was convinced that this is the best way to go. We have in the past when we've used special prosecutors and special counsels it hasn't always ended well. My view was always that the president should move quickly to get a completely unimpeachable leader of the FBI, preferably a Democrat so that there would be no doubt that that organization is being run by somebody who has no allegiance to Donald Trump."

++ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE++