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Mueller's questions for Trump probe possible obstruction: Report

This article is more than 12 months old

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump lashed out yesterday at the "disgraceful" disclosure of questions Special Counsel Robert Mueller has sought to ask him about potential obstruction and other matters as part of his probe into Russian election interference.

Compiled by the president's lawyers, the questions lay out detailed lines of inquiry by Mr Mueller into whether Mr Trump may have tried to obstruct the Russia probe, The New York Times reported.

The questions - at least four dozen in all - also show Mr Mueller wants to find out what Mr Trump knew about links between members of his presidential campaign and Russia, including a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer offering damaging information on election rival Hillary Clinton, the Times said.

"It would seem very hard to obstruct justice for a crime that never happened! Witch Hunt!" Mr Trump shot back in a round of early-morning tweets.

Mr Trump incorrectly claimed there were no questions on the list about collusion, which he dismissed as "a made up, phoney crime".

But at least one question directly asks what Mr Trump knew about his campaign aides, including former chairman Paul Manafort, seeking Russia's assistance, according to the Times.

"What knowledge did you have of any outreach by your campaign, including by Paul Manafort, to Russia about potential assistance to the campaign?"

The questions also show Mr Mueller wants to know if Mr Trump offered a pardon to former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who has already been charged with lying to investigators and is believed to be cooperating with the investigation.

But there is no indication Mr Trump is now an official suspect, or that Mr Mueller has found evidence Mr Trump colluded with the Russians. Mr Trump yesterday again denied this .

"So disgraceful that the questions concerning the Russian Witch Hunt were 'leaked' to the media," Mr Trump said on Twitter. - AFP

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