Trump facing increasing hostility from Republicans

Figures on the right are increasingly turning against Donald Trump after Robert Mueller, speaking publicly for the first time in two years, appeared to hint at the prospect of impeachment.

Contradicting attorney general William Barr’s claims, the special counsel added his office did not consider charging Mr Trump only because Justice Department policy prohibits indicting a sitting president.

Mr Barr had previously claimed Mr Mueller did not consider the guidance when choosing not to charge the president.

Republicans for the Rule of Law, a conservative group dedicated to “defending the institutions of our republic”, told Newsweek they would advertise next week on the president’s favourite TV news show, Fox & Friends, to urge members of congress to hold Mr Trump accountable.

"Everybody — Republicans and Democrats but especially Republicans — need to step up and say, 'Look, this is bigger than the politics of the day, this is about our democratic institutions'. If we don't defend them, that will have an impact on our country for decades to come," a spokesperson told the magazine.

Mr Trump’s former transition chief, Chris Christie, said Mr Mueller’s comments “definitely contradicts” Mr Barr’s summary of the special counsel’s report.

“In the end, on a sitting president, this is the call of the Congress playing their role as a coequal branch of government and they’re now going to have to decide what it is they want to do,” he added.

On Fox News, usually a bastion of support for the president, host Bret Baier said Mr Mueller had contradicted Mr Trump and Mr Barr’s interpretation of the report.

“This was not, as the president says time and time again, ‘no collusion, no obstruction.’ It was much more nuanced than that,” said Mr Baier, who was last month criticised by the president for interviewing Bernie Sanders.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-impeachment-mueller-statement-report-republicans-congress-gop-a8936201.html?utm_source=reddit.com