US President Donald Trump says the Justice Department's investigation into his campaign's ties to Russia "the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!"
Trump is responding to the appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to lead a probe of allegations that his campaign collaborated with Russia to sway the election.
In another tweet on Thursday morning, he claimed: "With all of the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special councel (sic) appointed!"
He did not provide examples or evidence of any alleged "illegal acts."
In a written statement, Trump insisted anew there were no nefarious ties between his campaign and Russia.
"A thorough investigation will confirm what we already know - there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity," he declared. "I look forward to this matter concluding quickly."
Mueller's broad mandate gives him not only oversight of the Russia probe, but also "any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation." That would surely include Trump's firing last week of FBI Director James Comey.
Mueller, a former federal prosecutor at the Justice Department, was confirmed as FBI director days before the September 11, 2001, attacks that would ultimately shape his tenure. The FBI's counter-terror mission was elevated in those years, as the US intelligence agencies adjusted to better position America to prevent another attack of such magnitude.
He was so valued that President Barack Obama asked him to stay on two years longer than his 10-year term.
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