Special Counsel Turns to Look at Trump in Russia Investigation

The special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election is now turning attention to President Donald Trump and whether he attempted to obstruct justice, The Washington Post reported.

The move by Robert Mueller to investigate Trump is a major turning point in the hotly contested federal investigation.

Former FBI Director James Comey assured Trump in January that he was not under investigation.

That all changed shortly after Comey and Attorney General Jeff Sessions  testified before a congressional committee about the investigation in Russia's alleged meddling in last year's election.

Mueller's office has already started scheduling preliminary interviews with intelligence officials inside and outside the government.

The investigation is examining possible contacts with Russian operatives as well as any suspicious financial activity related to those individuals.

The NSA said in a statement that it will "fully cooperate with the special counsel" and declined to give any more information than that.

So far, there is no evidence of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

The Justice Department has maintained that it would be inappropriate to indict a sitting president. Instead, experts say, the Congress would have to review any evidence of criminal misconduct and then decide whether to initiate impeachment proceedings.

Mueller has not publicly discussed his investigation, and a spokesman for the special counsel declined to comment.