Trump tells ex-White House lawyer to ignore subpoena

[WASHINGTON] Donald Trump has told his former White House lawyer Don McGhan to ignore a subpoena from Congress to testify about the president's alleged obstruction of justice, Trump spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Monday.

The Democrat-dominated Judiciary Committee in the House of Representatives has issued a subpoena compelling Mr McGhan to testify.

But the White House said that special counsel Robert Mueller's sprawling probe into Mr Trump's links to Russia and alleged attempts to get in the way of the investigation had cleared the president, meaning there was no need for more digging.

Mr McGhan himself testified before Mr Mueller's staff for some 30 hours.

"The Democrats do not like the conclusion of the Mueller investigation... and want a wasteful and unnecessary do-over," Ms Sanders said in a statement.

"The Department of Justice has provided a legal opinion stating that, based on long-standing, bipartisan, and Constitutional precedent, the former Counsel to the President cannot be forced to give such testimony, and Mr McGahn has been directed to act accordingly," she said.

AFP