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.

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.

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 5 September 2017

1. FILE Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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 PRES

Washington - 5 September 2017

3. FILE Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

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."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

5. 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

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

"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

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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."

US POOL

Washington - 9 February 2017

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

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."

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.

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.

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 5 September 2017

1. FILE Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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 - 5 September 2017

3. FILE Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

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."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

5. 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

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

"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

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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."

US POOL

Washington - 9 February 2017

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

Seeking a bipartisan compromise to avoid a government shutdown, President Donald Trump suggested on January 9th 2018 that an immigration deal could be reached in two phases - first by addressing young immigrants and border security with what he called a "bill of love," then by making comprehensive changes that have long eluded Congress.

Trump held a lengthy meeting with Republican and Democratic lawmakers seeking a solution for hundreds of thousands of young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

In 2017 Trump ended the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shielded more than 700,000 people from deportation and gave then the right to work legally in the country. He gave Congress until March to find a fix.

The president, congressional Republicans and Democrats expressed optimism for a deal just 10 days before a government shutdown deadline. Trump expressed a willingness to be flexible in finding an agreement.

Trump told the bipartisan group of 20 lawmakers that if they reach a deal, he will sign it.

A group of journalists observed the meandering meeting for an extraordinary length of time - about 55 minutes - that involved Trump seeking input from Democrats and Republicans alike in a freewheeling exchange on the contentious issue.

The president said he would insist on construction of a border security wall as part of an agreement involving young immigrants, but he said Congress could then pursue a comprehensive immigration overhaul in the second phase.

House Republicans said they planned to soon introduce legislation to address border security and the young immigrants. Trump said, "it should be a bill of love."

***

President Donald Trump denied January 12th via Twitter that he said anything "derogatory about Haitians" during an immigration meeting at the White House on Thursday, as the country and the world continued to express outrage over his reported comments.

Trump was in a closed meeting with members of Congress to discuss immigration on January 11th when he reportedly questioned why the U.S. would accept more people from Haiti and "shithole countries" in Africa, rather than places like Norway.

At first the White House did not deny that the remark was made. On Friday the president tweeted that his language was "tough" but insisted he did not say anything derogatory about Haitians aside from noting it's a poor country.

Associated Press White House reporter Jonathan Lemire said no one at the White House denied "that he used these vulgar terms to describe these immigrants."

on January 12th Trump took to Twitter to say the language he used at the meeting "was tough," but insisted the words being reported "was not the language used."

He also denied saying "anything derogatory about Haitians other than" that Haiti is "a very poor and troubled country."

***

After President Trump made disparaging remarks about immigrants, some members of the Haitian communities in New York and Florida said they were offended and believed his comments were racist.

President Donald Trump on January 12th questioned why the U.S. would accept more immigrants from "shithole countries" after senators discussed revamping rules affecting those from Africa and Haiti, according to people briefed on the conversation.

Haitians in New York and South Florida reacted negatively to the remarks.

"His comment is divisive. It's un-American. It's extremely offensive. I was reading the Daily News earlier this morning. Actually they could not have said it any better," said Gerald Cajust, referring to a crude depiction of the President on the front page of the New York Daily News.

In North Miami Beach, Florida, hosts at a Haitian-American radio studio, said although they were disappointed in Trump's comments, they believed Haitian leaders were also to blame for the country's economic situation.

Fabiola Charles, a Haitian radio personality with WSRF AM, said "we're looking at ourselves as well and saying you know what, if we took time to actually take care of our people, the president wouldn't have to say something like this about us. So, we also put the blame on us."

***

US President Donald Trump said on January 14th he is not a racist, just days after making controversial comments about Haiti and African countries.

Trump has been accused of using a vulgar word to describe African countries during an Oval Office meeting the previous week with a bipartisan group of six senators.

People briefed on the conversation say that during the meeting the president also questioned the need to admit more Haitians to the US.

The individuals spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to describe the meeting publicly.

Trump addressed the issue briefly on Sunday as he arrived for dinner at one of his Florida golf clubs with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California.

Asked what he thinks about people who think he's racist, Trump said: "I am not a racist". He told reporters: "I am the least racist person you have ever interviewed. That I can tell you."

He also praised authorities in Hawaii for taking responsibility for the blunder that caused more than a million people to fear that they were about to be struck by a nuclear missile.

***

Haitians showed their anger over vulgar comments made against their country and Africa by US President Donald Trump with a protest January 18th outside the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince.

Demonstrators gathered outside the gates of the embassy complex chanting slogans and waving signs denouncing Trump over his remarks and a move to end a program that gave temporary legal status to thousands of Haitians in the US.

Signs and Creole chants by the protesters criticised remarks by the president last week in which he is said to have profanely disparaged African countries and asked why the US would want more Haitians.

The protest by fewer than 100 demonstrators was peaceful and ended without incident.

Another demonstration was planned for next week.

The Haitian government said it was shocked by the remarks, which came on the eve of the anniversary of the country's devastating January 2010 earthquake.

The Trump administration has said that about 60,000 Haitians who have been allowed to stay and work in the US since the earthquake must leave the country in July 2019.

***

A former top adviser to President Donald Trump's election campaign pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy and false statements charges February 23rd in the special counsel's Russia investigation.

The plea by Rick Gates is a strong indication that he is planning to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation as it continues to probe the Trump campaign, Russian election interference and Gates' longtime business associate, Paul Manafort.

Gates, 45, of Richmond, Virginia, appeared at the federal courthouse in Washington for his plea agreement hearing.

A court filing shows Gates has agreed to plead to charges accusing him of conspiring against the U.S. government related to fraud and unregistered foreign lobbying as well as lying to federal authorities in a recent interview.

Gates' decision to admit to the crimes comes a day after a federal grand jury in Virginia returned a 32-count indictment against him and Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, accusing them of tax evasion and bank fraud.

The indictment in Virginia was the second round of charges against Gates and against Manafort, who has denied any wrongdoing. The two men were initially charged last October with unregistered lobbying and conspiring to launder millions of dollars they earned while working on behalf of a pro-Russian Ukrainian political party.

Gates' decision marks the fifth publicly known guilty plea in the special counsel probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin during the 2016 campaign.

***

America's top diplomat is one of any White House's highest-level cabinet members, often seated at the right hand of the president.

As a newcomer to Washington politics, former Exxon Mobile CEO Rex Tillerson was tasked with steering the ship of state with no foreign policy experience and needed to navigate a turbulent, frequently contradictory White House.

As he stepped into the State Department for the first time, Secretary of State Tillerson appealed for unity.

"I know this was a hotly-contested election and we do not all feel the same way about the outcome, " he said, adding "we cannot let our personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work as one team."

But as Tillerson neared the six-month mark on the job, he was forced to knock down a flurry of speculation that he was unhappy and may quit.

At the time, Washington was buzzing with rumors that he would leave due to frustration with the White House.

In his first appearance in the State Department briefing room, Tillerson reiterated that he had a good relationship with the president.

While Tillerson was redefining foreign strategy under the Trump administration's overarching police of "America First", his efforts to craft coherent policy were frequently upended by a tweeting boss.

By October 2017, Tillerson was forced in an unscheduled news conference held at the State Department to defend remarks he made in the Pentagon earlier that President Trump was, "a moron."

In response, Trump said in an interview published in Forbes magazine that if Rex Tillerson did call him a moron, the two should "compare IQ tests."

The White House later said that Trump was joking when he appeared to question his secretary of state's intelligence.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that the president "never implied that the secretary of state was not incredibly intelligent."

She says: "He made a joke, no more than that."

From the start of his tenure, Tillerson's selection raised potential conflict-of-interest issues, as Exxon's business interests around the globe, included Russia.

As an oil executive, Tillerson had argued against sanctions that the U.S. and European allies imposed on Russia after it annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

***

President Donald Trump says he has "total confidence" in Mike Pompeo, his new pick for Secretary of State.

Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on March 13th, saying he would nominate CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace him.

It's a major staff reshuffle just as Trump dives into high-stakes talks with North Korea.

Trump announced the change in a tweet early on March 13th just four hours after Tillerson returned to Washington from a trip to Africa.

He stopped to take questions from reporters at the South Lawn of the White House about his decision to oust Tillerson and replace him with Pompeo.

Trump said he and Tillerson "disagreed on things" like the Iran deal.

"We were not really thinking the same," Trump said about Tillerson. "With Mike Pompeo, we have a very similar thought process. I think it's going to go very well."

***

CBS says it will air its interview with porn actress Stormy Daniels on March 25th's episode of "60 Minutes."

Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, has said she had sex with Donald Trump before he became president. She has been trying to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement she signed days before the 2016 presidential election so she can discuss her relationship with Trump, which she said began in 2006 and continued for about a year.

CNN anchor and "60 Minutes" correspondent Anderson Cooper recorded the interview with Clifford earlier this month.

Clifford's attorney, Michael Avenatti, told The Associated Press on March 21st that more details of the affair would come out on "60 Minutes," and said his office was checking out similar claims from six women who had come forward.

"This is about this woman wanting to be able to tell her story to the American people, tell her version of the facts" said Avenatti.

00:00:00

Trump wants immigration deal to be 'bill of love'

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington DC - 9 January 2018

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

" This should be a bill of love, truly it should be a bill of love. And we can do that. But it also has to be a bill where we're able to secure our border. Drugs are pouring into our country at a record pace. "

00:13:18

Trump Pushes Back on Vulgar Comments About Haiti

4134641

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Port au Prince, Haiti - 21 November, 2017

2. Shots of people walking, traffic in Haitian street

Johannesburg - 12 January 2018

3. Shot of people walking on the street in Johannesburg

00:23:03

Haitians In US offended by comments attributed to Trump

4134647

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - January 12, 2018

4. Wide of Haitian American advocacy group storefront

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Herold Dasque, Haitian Americans United for Progress

"It's beyond racism. Of course he's a racist. He's going to say 'no I'm not racist.' What kind of statement is that? 'I don't need Haitians.' Economically they are the one working in the garden. "

6. Interior of barber shop

00:40:21

President Trump: "I'm Not a Racist"

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POOL

West Palm Beach - 14 January 2018

++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"No, no, I'm not a racist. I am the least racist person you have ever interviewed, that I can tell you."

00:47:21

Protesters in Haiti condemn Trump remarks

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Port-au-Prince - 18 January 2018

8. People protesting vulgar comments on Haiti and Africa by US President Donald Trump outside US embassy

9. Sign reading (English) "The U.S. has always been racist! Trump just said it out loud"

10. People holding signs during protest, one reading (English) "Donald Trump's racism is the true face of U.S. foreign policy."

00:57:20

Ex-Trump Aide Pleads Guilty in Russia Probe

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 February 2018

11. Wide shot of Rick Gates walking into US District Court

12. STILL PHOTO of Gates walking into court

13. Rick Gates and attorney walking out of court and getting into vehicle

01:10:17

Rex Tillerson: Businessman turned Trump diplomat out at the White House

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Various - Various

Washington, D.C. - 31 July 2017

14. Various, Cabinet Room meeting with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson seated right of President Donald Trump

Washington, D.C. - 1 February 2017

15. Mid, Rex Tillerson being sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence

01:34:09

Trump: Pompeo Will be a Great Secretary of State

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ASSOCIATED PRESS, POOL

Washington - 13 March 2018

16. President Donald Trump stops to speak with reporters on White House South Lawn

17. SOUNDBITE: (English) President Donald Trump:

"I've worked with Mike Pompeo now for quite some time -- tremendous energy, tremendous intellect. We're always on the same wavelength.

18. Wide of Trump

19. SOUNDBITE: (English) President Donald Trump:

"Rex and I've been talking about this for a long time. We've got a long actually quite well but we disagreed on things. When you look at the Iran deal: I think it's terrible. I guess he thought it was OK.

02:00:11

Lawyer: Trump should take Stormy Daniels very seriously

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Various - 19/21 March 2018/FILE

FILE: Los Angeles - 11 February 2007

20. STILL: Stormy Daniels

FILE: New Orleans, Louisiana - 6 May 2009

21. STILL of Stormy Daniels

22. SOUNDBITE (English): Michael Avenatti, Attorney for Stormy Daniels

"I don't know how serious they are taking us at this point. I think they're probably taking us more seriously today than they were a couple weeks ago. I'll say that. I'll say that they should be taking us very seriously."

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4323232

Federal agents on Wednesday raided Rudy Giuliani's Manhattan home and office, seizing computers and cell phones in a major escalation of the Justice Department's investigation into the business dealings of former President Donald Trump's personal lawyer.

Giuliani, the former New York City mayor once celebrated for his leadership in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, has been under federal scrutiny for several years over his ties to Ukraine. The dual searches sent the strongest signal yet that he could eventually face federal charges

"That's a that's a pretty big deal," said Eric Tucker,  an Associated Press reporter. "It doesn't mean the charges are expected or that charges are near, but it does nonetheless represent a significant escalation."

Agents searched Giuliani's home on Madison Avenue and his office on Park Avenue, people familiar with the investigation told the Associated Press. The warrants, which require approval from the top levels of the Justice Department, signify prosecutors believe they have probable cause that Giuliani committed a federal crime — though they don't guarantee charges will materialize.

The full scope of the investigation is unclear, but it at least partly involves Giuliani's dealings in Ukraine, law enforcement officials have told the AP.

The people discussing the searches and Wednesday's developments could not do so publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. News of the search was first reported by The New York Times.

In a statement released through his lawyer, Giuliani accused federal authorities of a “corrupt double standard,” invoking allegations he's pushed against prominent Democrats, and said that the Justice Department was “running rough shod over the constitutional rights of anyone involved in, or legally defending, former President Donald J. Trump."

A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan and the FBI’s New York office declined to comment Wednesday.

The federal probe into Giuliani's Ukraine dealings stalled last year because of a dispute over investigative tactics as Trump unsuccessfully sought a second term. Giuliani subsequently took on a leading role in disputing the election results on the Republican's behalf.

Wednesday's raids came months after Trump left office and lost his ability to pardon allies for federal crimes. The former president himself no longer enjoys the legal protections the Oval Office once provided him — though there is no indication Trump is eyed in this probe.

Many people in Trump's orbit have previously been ensnared in federal investigations, namely special counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russian election interference. But most of those criminal cases either fizzled or fell apart. Giuliani's is different.

Giuliani was central to the then-president's efforts to dig up dirt against Democratic rival Joe Biden and to press Ukraine for an investigation into Biden and his son, Hunter — who himself now faces a criminal tax probe by the Justice Department.

Giuliani also sought to undermine former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, who was pushed out on Trump's orders, and met several times with a Ukrainian lawmaker who released edited recordings of Biden in an effort to smear him before the election.

The federal Foreign Agents Registration Act requires people who lobby on behalf of a foreign government or entity to register with the Justice Department. The once-obscure law, aimed at improving transparency, has received a burst of attention in recent years — particularly during Mueller's probe, which revealed an array of foreign influence operations in the U.S.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan had pushed last year for a search warrant for records, including some of Giuliani's communications, but officials in the Trump-era Justice Department would not sign off on the request, according to multiple people who insisted on anonymity to speak about the ongoing investigation with which they were familiar.

The issue was widely expected to be revisited by the Justice Department once Attorney General Merrick Garland assumed office. Garland was confirmed last month and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco was confirmed to her position and sworn in last week. The Justice Department requires that applications for search warrants served on lawyers be approved by senior department officials.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 28 April 2021

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"So the FBI this morning served a search warrant at Rudy Giuliani's home in New York City. They are seeking evidence related to an ongoing foreign lobby investigation. That's a that's a pretty big deal. It doesn't mean the charges are expected or that charges are near, but it does nonetheless represent a significant escalation."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York, New York - 28 April 2021

2. Exterior view of Rudy Giuliani's Manhattan home

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE: Washington, DC - 19 November 2020

3. Mid, Rudy Giuliani, Trump Attorney, speaking to reporters at news conference as what appears to be hair dye drips down his face

4. Wide shot of Giuliani speaking

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 28 April 2021

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"It does indeed relate to the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump. It specifically concerns work that Rudy Giuliani was doing with Ukraine. Of course, Giuliani was a very prominent figure in the impeachment trial for his efforts to dig up dirt that could be used against Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. And Biden's son, Hunter, who had his own Ukraine business dealings, and Rudy Giuliani was also involved in suggesting that it was Ukraine and not Russia that had interfer ed in the 2016 presidential election. So the Justice Department is trying to figure out about Rudy Giuliani's lobbying of the US government on behalf of Ukraine, his his business entanglements with Ukraine. And that's the part of the investigation we know about. There are I sure additional elements that we don't know about."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 19 June 2015  

6. STILL IMAGE, Sign at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building

POOL

Washington, DC - 11 March 2021

7. STILL IMAGE as attorney general Merrick Garland is introduced on his first day at the Department of Justice

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 28 April 2021

8.  SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"There was a big dispute last year in the Trump Justice Department about whether there was a basis to take the step that was taken today. And there was a disagreement between prosecutors in Manhattan who were eager to move forward with the investigation and officials in Washington, their ostensible supervisors. And this was a very serious conflict over investigative tactics. And the result was that no action, significant action like this, a search warrant was taken either prior to the election or even after the election when Trump officials still led the Justice Department."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 19 June 2015  

9. STILL IMAGE, DOJ flag

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 6 January 2021

10. STILL IMAGE, Rudy Giuliani speaking at pro-Trump rally in front of the White House

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 28 April 2021

11.  SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"It is not clear to what extent, if at all, Trump is going to factor into this. There's no question that during the chronology of events that this investigation is examining, Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani were very close. And there's no question that much of the work that Rudy Giuliani was doing that related to Ukraine was for the benefit of Donald Trump. But we don't have any reason to believe or any indication that Donald Trump is himself a player in this investigation or connected in some way."

POOL

ARCHIVE: New York - 18 August 2016

12. Various, Trump's legal team meeting including Rudy Giuliani