President Donald Trump's lead lawyer in the special counsel's Russia investigation resigned Thursday, shaking up the legal team just as the president intensifies his attacks on a probe he calls nothing more than a witch hunt.

Associated Press Justice Department reporter Eric Tucker said the resignation might have something to do with clashes between John Dowd and Trump in the Mueller investigation.

"Trump came out and said I'm very eager to speak under oath to Mueller, but Dowd has been much more cautious and apprehensive," Tucker said, "So obviously you have a client attorney division there."

The departure of attorney John Dowd removes the primary negotiator and legal strategist who had been molding Trump's defense. It also comes just days after the Trump legal team added a new lawyer, former U.S. attorney Joseph diGenova, who has alleged on television that FBI officials were involved in a "brazen plot" to exonerate Hillary Clinton in the email investigation and to "frame" Trump for nonexistent crimes.

Dowd confirmed his decision in an email to The Associated Press, saying, "I love the President and wish him well." Dowd said he made the decision voluntarily and he denied reports that his departure had to do with Trump ignoring his legal advice. He said he formally resigned Thursday morning.

It already was a delicate time in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation as Trump's attorneys, including Dowd, have been negotiating with Mueller over the scope and terms of an interview of the president. Trump has told reporters that he was eager to speak with Mueller, but Dowd has been far more apprehensive, and the lawyers have not publicly committed to making Trump available for questioning.

Asked Thursday whether he still wants to speak with Mueller's team, Trump told reporters, "Yes, I would like to."

Dowd's exit nearly a year into Mueller's investigation threatens to undo the cooperation between prosecutors and Trump's lawyers and may herald a stark shift in strategy as the probe reaches closer into the White House and the president's inner circle.

Over the weekend, Dowd issued a statement calling for an end to special counsel's investigation. The White House and later Dowd had to clarify the statement, saying the president's legal team wasn't calling for Mueller to be fired.

But Trump has upped his public attacks on Mueller.

In a series of tweets since last week, the president has said that the probe never should have started, that it was based on "fraudulent activities," that it was a "WITCH HUNT" and that it is being led by "13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 10 May 2011

1. STILL Attorney John Dowd leaves building with his client co-founder of Galleon hedge fund group Raj Rajaratnam

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 29 April 2011

2. STILL Dowd and Rajaratnam entering federal court

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"So John Dowd is the lead defense lawyer on Donald Trump's legal team. And we learned today that he has resigned effective immediately from that team, so he's no longer going to be representing the president."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 23 May 2007

4. STILL Various Dowd with client White House liaison Monica Goodling

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"So this is really significant because we are now 10 months into Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. There have been a lot of negotiations back and forth led by John Dowd as to whether or not the president will sit down for interview with Mueller and his team. And so now it's unclear what the next step is going to be, because basically the point person and lead negotiator and point of contact for Mueller's team is no longer calling the shots."

DONALD TRUMP TWITTER FEED/@realDonaldTrump

Internet - 18 March 2018

6. SCREENGRAB of Donald Trump homepage on Twitter

7. SCREENGRAB of tweet reading (English): "Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added...does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!"

DONALD TRUMP TWITTER FEED/@realDonaldTrump

Internet - 17 March 2018

8. SCREENGRAB of tweet reading (English): "The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime. It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT!"

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"Last weekend we noticed a real notable shift in the way the president and his legal team has been talking about Special Counsel Robert Mueller. So in the past there's been lots of public overtures and gestures of cooperation. They've spoken warmly about the special counsel in his work. And this time, for the first time, this weekend for the first time we saw John Dowd basically call on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to shut down the investigation. He had initially said he was speaking for the president, he later said he was not. And the White House on Sunday had to clarify that there were no plans to try to terminate the investigation."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

10. Donald Trump walks into White House Treaty Room

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"So I think there's been a degree of consternation back and forth within the legal community over certain decisions and actions from Dowd and the legal team. There's been obviously a divide as to whether or not the president is gonna speak with Mueller. So you'll remember that in January, Trump came out and said I'm very eager to speak under oath to Mueller, but Dowd has been much more cautious and apprehensive, and his lawyers, Trump's lawyers have not publicly committed in any way to any sort of interview. They say those are ongoing negotiations. So obviously you have a client attorney division there."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

12. President Donald Trump walks out of Treaty Room as reporters shout questions

13. UPSOUND: Reporter:

"Mr. President, would you still like to testify to special counsel Robert Mueller, sir?"

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

"Yes, I would like to..."

15. Trump walks out of room

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"One other thing that I would note is that the Trump legal team has been looking to try to add to its ranks. So they have reached out to a very prominent Washington lawyer, a litigator by the name of Ted Olson who argued the Bush v. Gore case 2000 before the U.S. Supreme Court. And he's argued the California gay rights case, same sex marriage case. He turned them down. And so I would not be surprised if there is another attorney who they try to reach out to."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 28 September 2017

17. STILL Various Former United States Solicitor General Ted Olson at the installation ceremony for FBI director Chris Wray

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 20 June 2013

18. STILL Olson with plaintiffs in the California Proposition 8 case

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"They did hire on Monday a former United States attorney named Joe diGenova who's going to be working on the Trump legal team. And one thing that diGenova is notable for is an interview with Fox News from January in which he basically said the FBI officials were part of a brazen plot to exonerate Hillary Clinton and frame Donald Trump for a fictional, nonexistent crime. So that gives you a flavor of where the defense legal strategy might be going."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

20. Various Trump speaking in the House Treaty Room about imposing tariffs on Chinese imports

Pushing back on Russia harder than before, the Trump administration accused Moscow on Thursday of a concerted hacking operation targeting the U.S. energy grid, aviation systems and other infrastructure, and also imposed sanctions on Russians for alleged interference in the 2016 election.

The dual moves formed the strongest action to date against Russia by the Trump administration, long accused of being too soft on the Kremlin, and the first punishments for election-meddling since President Donald Trump took office. The sanctions list included the 13 Russians indicted last month by special counsel Robert Mueller, whose Russia investigation the president has repeatedly sought to discredit.

AP reporter Josh Lederman says the moves suggest, "the administration is giving some credence to the legal conclusion that Mueller's team is drawing. That could in turn make it harder in the future for the Trump administration to say that what Robert Mueller's team is doing is illegitimate or shouldn't be believed by the American people."

U.S. national security officials said the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and intelligence agencies had determined that Russian intelligence and others were behind a broad range of cyberattacks beginning a year ago that have infiltrated the energy, nuclear, commercial, water, aviation and manufacturing sectors.

The accusations and accompanying Russian sanctions were the most severe yet by the Trump administration in connection with hacking and other efforts to sow discord in America's democracy and compromise its infrastructure.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington DC - 15 March 2018

1. Wide, President Donald Trump, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and Congressional leaders meeting on Capitol steps and walking into building

POOL

Washington DC - 15 March 2018

2. President Trump speaking at a luncheon with the Irish Prime Minister

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 15 March 2018

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Lederman, Associated Press reporter:

"The Trump administration is accusing Russia of breaching the U.S. energy grid along with other critical infrastructure including nuclear, aviation and water systems. The U.S. is also slapping sanctions on 19 people, including the 13 Russians who were indicted last month by special counselor Robert Mueller for election interference."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 16 February 2018

4. Mid, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein walks up to podium

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General:

"A grand jury in the District of Columbia today returned an indictment presented by the special counsel's office. The indictment charges 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for committing federal crimes while seeking to interfere in the United States political system including the 2016 presidential election."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 15 March 2018

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Lederman, Associated Press reporter:

"It's very notable that the Trump administration is specifically sanctioning people who were indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. That suggests the administration is giving some credence to the legal conclusion that Mueller's team is drawing. That could in turn make it harder in the future for the Trump administration to say that what Robert Mueller's team is doing is illegitimate or shouldn't be believed by the American people."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2013

7. Various, then-FBI Director Robert Mueller being sworn in

8. STILL Image Mueller in committee hearing

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 15 March 2018

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Lederman, Associated Press reporter:

"Some of these sanctions are using a new law that Congress passed last year authorizing the administration to punish Russians who are involved in interfering in the 2016 election. They come from the Treasury Department and mean that any assets of sanctioned individuals in the United States will be frozen. They also will be prohibited from entering the United States."

POOL

New York - 6 December 2016

10. US President-elect Donald Trump walks out of elevator at Trump Tower

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 15 March 2018

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Lederman, Associated Press reporter:

"The timing of these new sanctions are very significant. Not only are the U.S. and others pointing the finger at Russia for poisoning an ex spy, but it comes just days ahead of a presidential election this weekend in Russia."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 15 March 2018

12. Mid, President Donald Trump greets Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at White House

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

(Reporter) "What are you going to do? Do you think Putin is behind it?

(Trump) It looks like it. I spoke to the prime minister. We are in deep discussions, a very sad situation. It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it"

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 15 March 2018

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Lederman, Associated Press reporter:

"National security officials are laying out what they describe as a multifaceted and ongoing campaign by Russian hackers that involved moving between system to system, creating fake administrator accounts that were disguised to look legitimate and even deleting activity logs to try to cover their tracks."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 15 March 2018

15. Mid, President Trump sits with Irish Prime Minister Varadkar

Attorney General William Barr was reviewing the special counsel's confidential report on the Russia investigation Saturday to determine what should be made public after a nearly two-year probe that cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency.

With the long-awaited special counsel's investigation done but its contents still shrouded in mystery, Americans waited for details, yawned with boredom or stayed fixed to their long-cemented positions on President Donald Trump, the man at the probe's center.

For all the expected splash of Robert Mueller's report, it arrived with more of a thud, thanks to the secrecy surrounding.

Mueller worked in virtual silence as a stream of charges have flowed forth against 37 people and companies. From the start, with his appointment on May 17, 2017, some have framed his work as a battle of good and evil of biblical proportions.

And on the 675th day, Mueller finished his work, and he rested. But nothing immediately changed for those who had watched with bated breath.

Outside Trump Tower in New York City, a passerby was hopeful the report would be available for public viewing. "I'm hoping that the majority of Americans take an opportunity to push for transparency and really take a look and read it and see what this means for the United States and what it means for the presidency as it exists now," said Anne Curry, from Massachusetts.

Among a group of demonstrators nearby, there was some relief that the Mueller probe was over. "They were using it as material to impeach President Trump. Now we can relax. President Trump can do his job without this hanging over his head," said Amelia Arcamone-Makinano.

Even with the details still under wraps, Friday's end to the 22-month probe without additional indictments by Mueller was welcome news to some in Trump's orbit who had feared a final round of charges could ensnare more Trump associates, including members of the president's family.

The report was accessible to only a handful of Justice officials while Barr prepared to summarize the "principal conclusions."

Trump, who has relentlessly criticized Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt," was at his golf club in Florida on Saturday, and House Democrats were planning to gather by phone later in the day as they waited for Barr's summary.

Word of the report's delivery to Barr on Friday triggered reactions across Washington, including Democrats' demands that it be quickly released to the public and Republicans' contentions that it ended two years of wasted time and money.

The next step was up to Barr, who declared he was committed to transparency and speed.

New York - 23 March 2019

1. Medium view of Trump Tower, pan to man taking photo

2. Woman walking near Trump Tower

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Anne Curry, from Massachusetts:

"I'm hoping that the majority of Americans take an opportunity to push for transparency and really take a look and read it and see what this means for the United States and what it means for the presidency as it exists now."

4. Various of demonstrators along the street near Trump Tower

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Amelia Arcamone-Makinano, pro-Trump demonstrator from New York:

"They were using it as material to impeach President Trump. Now we can relax. President Trump can do his job without this hanging over his head, without it going to his, his family was under investigation and everyone who was around President Trump was under investigation."

6. Medium of Fred and Rachel Hendrickson (husband and wife)

7. Medium view of Trump Tower  

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rachel Hendrickson, from New Jersey:

"I may not have a very popular opinion, but I think this has been going on way too long, I think they're just digging and digging for things. I'm not saying there wasn't any type of corruption done, but I don't think it's anything any other president probably hasn't done. Our country's so divided right now that we need to come together and forget about trying to dig up dirt on the president and try to unite ourselves."

9. Medium view of demonstrators

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Fred Hendrickson, from New Jersey:

"Well, I just want to say I feel that both sides need to get along. We need to concentrate more on the economy and poor America and other important subjects, I'd like for everybody to just get along and have a good time."

11. Medium of Fred and Rachel Hendrickson (husband and wife)

12. Close view of demonstrator waving banner

Washington - 23 March 2019

13. Wide view of US Capital

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Sara Grzywacz, Washington, D.C. resident:

"What's been done is what should be happening. I don't know what happened, but I think I want to know what did and I'm excited to see what it says."

15. Wide view of White House

Special counsel Robert Mueller is set to give the first public insight into how much information President Donald Trump's former national security adviser has shared with prosecutors in the Russia investigation.

The special counsel is facing a Tuesday deadline in Michael Flynn's case to file a memorandum recommending a sentence and providing a federal judge with a description of how valuable the retired U.S. Army lieutenant general has been to the probe.

The deadline comes ahead of Flynn's Dec. 18 sentencing and more than a year after he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about reaching out to Russian government officials on Trump's behalf.

Federal sentencing guidelines recommend between zero and six months in prison for Flynn, leaving open the possibility of probation.

The detailing of at least some of Flynn's cooperation also comes as Trump has increasingly vented his anger at the probe - and at one of his former confidantes who cooperated with it.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 10 July 2018

1. Mid pan, Michael Flynn exits SUV enters courthouse

2. Close-up pan, Michael Flynn exits courthouse as protesters shout

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 1 December 2017

3 . Mid, pan Michael Flynn exits court and gets into car, car drives away as protesters shout (English) "Lock him up. Lock him up. Lock him up. Convicted criminal. Criminal. Lock him up. Lock him up. "

4. Side view, Flynn exiting court

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 1 February 2017

5 . Various of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn at lectern

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Flynn, National Security Advisor

US POOL

Washington, DC - 20 January, 2017

7. Michael Flynn arrives at inauguration

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 1 December, 2016

8. Michael Flynn walks into Trump Tower with Robert Gates, U.S. Defense Secretary under President George W. Bush and Barack Obama

Attorney General William Barr was reviewing special counsel Robert Mueller's confidential report on the Russia investigation Saturday to determine what should be made public after a nearly two-year probe that cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency.

With the long-awaited special counsel's investigation done but its contents still shrouded in mystery, Americans waited for details, yawned with boredom or stayed fixed to their long-cemented positions on President Donald Trump, the man at the probe's center.

For all the expected splash of Mueller's report, it arrived with more of a thud, thanks to the secrecy surrounding.

Mueller worked in virtual silence as a stream of charges have flowed forth against 37 people and companies. From the start, with his appointment on May 17, 2017, some have framed his work as a battle of good and evil of biblical proportions.

And on the 675th day, Mueller finished his work, and he rested. But nothing immediately changed for those who had watched with bated breath.

Outside Trump Tower in New York City, a passerby was hopeful the report would be available for public viewing. "I'm hoping that the majority of Americans take an opportunity to push for transparency and really take a look and read it and see what this means for the United States and what it means for the presidency as it exists now," said Anne Curry, from Massachusetts.

Among a group of demonstrators nearby, there was some relief that the Mueller probe was over. "They were using it as material to impeach President Trump. Now we can relax. President Trump can do his job without this hanging over his head," said Amelia Arcamone-Makinano.

Even with the details still under wraps, Friday's end to the 22-month probe without additional indictments by Mueller was welcome news to some in Trump's orbit who had feared a final round of charges could ensnare more Trump associates, including members of the president's family.

The report was accessible to only a handful of Justice officials while Barr prepared to summarize the "principal conclusions."

Trump, who has relentlessly criticized Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt," was at his golf club in Florida on Saturday, and House Democrats were planning to gather by phone later in the day as they waited for Barr's summary.

Word of the report's delivery to Barr on Friday triggered reactions across Washington, including Democrats' demands that it be quickly released to the public and Republicans' contentions that it ended two years of wasted time and money.

The next step was up to Barr, who declared he was committed to transparency and speed.

Federal agents on Monday raided the office of President Donald Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen, seizing records on topics including a $130,000 payment made to a porn actress who says she had sex with Trump more than a decade ago.

The raid on Cohen's office was done by the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan and was based at least partly on a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller, according to Cohen's lawyer, Stephen Ryan.

The raid creates a new legal headache for Trump even as he and his attorneys weigh whether to agree to an interview with Mueller's team, which in addition to investigating potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign is also examining whether the president's actions constitute obstruction of justice.

The law enforcement action will almost certainly amplify the public scrutiny on the payment to the actress, Stormy Daniels, which was made just days before the 2016 presidential election. Trump told reporters last week that he did not know about the payment.

Still, the existence of a referral from Mueller's office to the Manhattan U.S. Attorney suggests that the matter isn't related to Russia.

FILE: Washington - 19 September 2017

1. Mid of Michael Cohen after speaking to Senate Intelligence Committee

Washington - 9 April 2018

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"So today law enforcement in New York City raided the law office of Michael Cohen who is the lawyer for President Donald Trump."

New York - 9 April 2018

3. Various of 30 Rock, where Cohen has one of his offices

Washington - 9 April 2018

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"What we've learned from his lawyer is this action was done at least partly based on a referral from the Office of Special Counsel Robert Muller which has been investigating possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election."

New York - 9 April 2018

5. Mid of Rockefeller Plaza sign

Washington - 9 April 2018

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"So we don't know that Cohen actually has any role in Mueller's investigation per se. He hasn't been identified as a target. We know that he's been present for certain seminal moments that have been looked at by investigators such as the Miss Universe competition in 2013. He was part of an effort to arrange a Trump Tower building in Moscow. But what we now know is that Mueller has basically given this to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan to look at which is a significant step under the regulations that are in place."

New York - 9 April 2018

7. Med of 30 Rock sign

Washington - 9 April 2018

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"So we know that among the records that have been seized are records that relate to a $130,000 payment that was made to Stormy Daniels. She is of course the adult film actress who alleges that she had a relationship, a sexual relationship, with President Trump in 2006."

FILE: Washington - 19 September 2017

9. Michael Cohen, left, with attorney Steve Ryan on right

Washington - 9 April 2018

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"So we actually don't know specifically what they're looking for. But I would say it's very significant to get a search warrant because that is a document that has to be approved by a judge. So the government actually has to go to a judge say, 'we are laying out probable cause a crime may have been committed,' and then get a judge's approval to look at a very specific office book folder drawer. So it's a big deal to get a search warrant. "

New York - 9 April 2018

11. Various of Trump Park Avenue building - another location for Cohen's office

Washington - 9 April 2018

12 SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina;

"I have no idea where that's going. I just want to let Mr. Mueller do his job without any political interference. I think he's a good choice as independent council. He's doing his job, in my view, professionally, and we'll see what he comes up with."

New York - 9 April 2018

13. Wide of Trump Park Avenue building - another location for Cohen's office