US President Donald Trump claimed on October 8th 2018 that "the Democrats colluded with Russia".

Trump was speaking in Washington after returning from his meeting with Deputy US Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

He claimed that the Obama administration did nothing when it found out about possible Russian meddling in the 2016 US elections.

Trump also commented on Jamal Khashoggi, a missing Saudi journalist, saying: "I do not like it".

When asked about superstar Taylor Swift's support for Democratic candidates in Tennessee, Trump said he liked her music "about 25 percent less now".

***

President Donald Trump says he has answered written questions from special counsel Robert Mueller but hasn't yet submitted them.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on November 16th that he answered the questions "very easily" this week but added that "you have to always be careful."

The president did not say when he would turn over the answers to Mueller as part of the ongoing investigation into possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Trump had huddled with lawyer at the White House this week but made clear: "my lawyers don't write answers, I write answers."

Mueller had signaled a willingness to accept written answers on matters of collusion. The White House has said it would not answer Mueller's questions on possible obstruction of justice.

The president spoke to reporters shortly after a district judge ordered the Trump administration to immediately return the White House press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, though a lawsuit over the credentials' revocation is continuing.

Trump said "people have to behave" while in the White House and he said his staff will be "writing up rules and regulations" to guide press for future events.

The president insists he wants "total freedom of the press," but journalists "have to act with respect."

Trump didn't say what the new rules and regulations will entail.

***

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about work he did on a Trump real estate deal in Russia.

Cohen made a surprise appearance on November 29th in a New York courtroom.

He admitted to making false statements in 2017 to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence about a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.

In August 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to other federal charges involving his taxi businesses, bank fraud and his campaign work for Trump.

One of the prosecutors working with Special Counsel Robert Mueller was present in the courtroom.

Cohen's lawyer told the judge the plea deal involved cooperation with Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the U.S. election.

***

A federal judge has agreed to delay former national security adviser Michael Flynn's sentencing so he can continue cooperating with the Russia probe.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan on December 18th set a status conference for March 2019.

Attorneys for Flynn asked the judge to postpone the sentencing. The stunning request came after Sullivan warned Flynn that if he were sentenced as scheduled Tuesday, he might not get all the credit for his cooperation with investigators that he is entitled to.

Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his Russia contacts. Prosecutors had recommended no prison time, citing his cooperation. But the judge's rebuke raised the prospect that Flynn could get a harsher sentence.

00:55:18

00:00:00

Trump says Democrats colluded with Russia

4176320

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington DC - 8 October 2018

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

" Everybody understands there was no collusion with Russia. It was all made up by the Democrats. They're the ones that colluded with Russia.

00:08:16

Trump: I answered Mueller's questions very easily

4182647

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 16 November 2018

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

" I was asked a series of questions, I've answered them very easily, very easily. I'm sure they're tripped up because you know, they like to catch people, gee, you know was the weather sunny or was it rainy? He said, 'it may have been a good day. It was rainy.' Therefore he told a lie, he perjured himself. OK, so you have to always be careful when you answer questions with people that probably have bad intentions. But no it's, the questions were very routinely answered by me, by me.

00:42.04

Michael Cohen pleads guilty to lying to Congress

4184494

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 29 November 2018

3. Michael Cohen walks out of courthouse with lawyer

00:49:23

Flynn sentencing delayed, he's still cooperating

4187405

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington DC - 18 December 2018

4. Michael Flynn leaves courthouse, enters SUV8

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++

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 WHITE FLASHES++

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:

"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. 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."

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

"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."

7. 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."