Most Americans Think Trump Committed Obstruction of Justice by Hindering Russia Probe

President Trump said, quote, "I am being investigated for firing the Federal Bureau of Investigation director by the man who told me to fire the Federal Bureau of Investigation director - exclamation point - witch hunt".

Trump advisers and confidants describe the president as increasingly angry over the Russian Federation investigation, yelling at television sets in the White House carrying coverage and insisting he is the target of a conspiracy to discredit - and potentially end - his presidency.

Mr Robert Mueller, the special counsel named by the department to investigate the Russian Federation matter, is now examining whether Mr Trump or others sought to obstruct the probe, a person familiar with the inquiry said on Thursday.

"This is not a hypothetical exercise", said Cramer, who's managing director of consulting firm Berkeley Research Group LLC. Now there's some question of whether President Trump wants to fire Mueller.

Brand was sworn in as associate attorney general on May 22.

"I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director!"

Rosenstein sees no reason at this point to recuse himself, the Justice Department said Friday. "However nothing has changed". Rosenstein had written a scathing memo criticizing Comey's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, which the White House initially cited as the impetus for Comey's ouster. The Democrats like him. As it were, many Americans happen to disagree with that assessment.

That would matter if Trump decides to fire Mueller.

Even before Trump commenced his assault on Rosenstein for conflict of interest, it was becoming conceivable that the deputy attorney general would have to recuse himself from supervising Mueller. The immediate effect of the tweet is to pressure Rosenstein to recuse himself from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

If Rosenstein were to recuse himself, the task of overseeing the special counsel would fall to the Justice Department's third-highest-ranking official, Rachel Lee Brand.

He's increasingly focused his anger at both Mr Rosenstein and Mr Mueller, according to advisers and confidants, viewing the two as part of a biased effort to undermine his presidency.

A career prosecutor who entered the administration with a reputation as a meticulous, nonpartisan lawyer, Rosenstein has been buffeted in his short time on the job by political storms - and now the extraordinary spectacle of being singled out on social media by the president. Boente carried out the defense.

In another indication of the seriousness of the probe, Michael Cohen, a personal attorney to Trump, said he has retained attorney Stephen Ryan, a former assistant USA attorney, to represent him in the ongoing probes.

That's because the deputy attorney general could become a potential witness in the investigation.

Regardless of the chaos that could ensue in the leadership of the Justice Department, Mueller's investigation appears insulated, and much of the work of the department done by USA attorneys across the country will continue, Cramer said.