‘It’s over’: Donald Trump takes victory lap, even after Robert Mueller says he was not exonerated
- Impeachment appears no more likely in wake of Robert Mueller hearings
- Trump declares ‘there was no defence to this ridiculous hoax, this witch hunt’
US President Donald Trump declared the Russia meddling and obstruction probe a “big hoax” Wednesday as Democrats reaped precious little new ammunition for impeachment in marathon testimony to Congress by investigation leader Robert Mueller.
Answering questions on his investigation for the first time, a shaky-voiced, sometimes uncertain Mueller would not go beyond the facts set out in his final investigation report and refused dozens of times to answer questions from both Democrats and Republicans.
Mueller’s report, made public in April, outlined a pattern of attempted cooperation between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia which didn’t rise to the level of a criminal conspiracy – and at least 10 instances of alleged interference in the probe by Trump.
But the former FBI director denied Democrats seeking an impeachment effort their number one goal, an unequivocal statement on national television that Trump had criminally obstructed justice.