President Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to boast about his poll numbers and progress on his agenda - despite what he says is a "witch hunt" against him.
"The MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN agenda is doing very well despite the distraction of the Witch Hunt. Many new jobs, high business enthusiasm, massive regulation cuts, 36 new legislative bills signed, great new S.C. Justice, and Infrastructure, Healthcare and Tax Cuts in works!" Mr Trump tweeted before 7am on Sunday.
Mr Trump's advisers describe the president as increasingly angry over the investigation, yelling at television sets carrying coverage and insisting he is the target of a conspiracy.
The MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN agenda is doing very well despite the distraction of the Witch Hunt. Many new jobs, high business enthusiasm,..
Some of his ire is aimed at Rod Rosenstein, the Deputy Attorney-General and investigative special counsel Robert Mueller, both of whom the president believes are biased against him, associates say.
Dianne Feinstein, top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said she was "increasingly concerned" that Mr Trump will fire both Mr Mueller and Mr Rosenstein.
Mr Trump also crowed about the latest Rasmussen Reports' daily presidential poll, which puts his approval at 50 per cent - although competing polls put his disapproval rating at its highest.
The new Rasmussen Poll, one of the most accurate in the 2016 Election, just out with a Trump 50% Approval Rating.That's higher than O's #'s!
Mr Trump's lawyer has said the US president is not under federal investigation, days after Mr Trump appeared to confirm he was with a tweet about being the target of a "witch hunt".
Appearing on a series of morning news programs, lawyer Jay Sekulow said that a Friday tweet from Mr Trump was specifically directed at a story in The Washington Post about the expanding probe into Russia's election meddling.
"The president is not under investigation by the special counsel," said Mr Sekulow. "The tweet from the president was a response to the five anonymous sources that were purportedly leaking information to The Washington Post about a potential investigation of the president."
I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt
The Washington Post reported last week that Robert Mueller - the special counsel appointed to investigate Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election - was looking into whether Mr Trump obstructed justice.
Mr Mueller was appointed by Deputy Attorney-General Rod Rosenstein and has expansive powers to probe any matters that develop from his initial investigation.
Mr Sekulow said that Mr Trump has not been notified of any investigation and that the latest information they have is from sacked FBI Director James Comey's testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The Washington Post reported last week that Robert Mueller - the special counsel appointed to investigate Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election - was looking into whether Mr Trump obstructed justice.
Mr Mueller was appointed by Mr Rosenstein and has expansive powers to probe any matters that develop from his initial investigation.
Mr Sekulow said that Mr Trump has not been notified of any investigation and that the latest information they have is from sacked FBI Director James Comey's testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Russia renewed several unused trademarks held by the Trump Organisation during the 2016 election, according to the New York Times.
The US newspaper reports Rospatent, the Russian government agency in charge of intellectual property, granted extensions for six trademarks owned by the Trump Organisation last year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo / AP
The trademarks were originally obtained for hotels and other business ventures between 1996 and 2007, but those ventures never took off, and the trademarks were set to expire in 2016, the Times reports.
The Trump Organisation reportedly sought to renew the trademarks despite their inactivity and the Russian government began granting new 10-year terms for the trademarks in April 2016. Four of the trademarks were reportedly registered on Election Day.
Alan Garten, chief legal counsel for the Trump Organisation, said the company sought the renewals "to prevent third parties from infringing on the company's intellectual property rights". He also said there were no plans to use the trademarks in the future.
Mr Trump has maintained he has no business dealings in Russia.
TRUMP VISITS CAMP DAVID FOR FIRST TIME
Mr Trump has flown to Maryland with his wife Melania and youngest son Barron to spend the Father's Day weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David.
The Trumps set off on the 30-minute journey by helicopter from the South Lawn of the White House with the first lady's parents, according to a White House press pool report.
It was the Trumps' first visit to the retreat since the president took office. Since becoming president in January, Mr Trump has preferred to travel to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida or the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, at weekends he did not spend in Washington.
President Donald Trump and his son Barron Trump walk to Marine One across the South Lawn of the White House. Photo / AP
Camp David, which is managed by the US Navy at an estimated annual cost of some $US8 million ($10 million), is located in the wooded hills of Catoctin Mountain Park near Thurmont, Maryland.
It has been used by many US presidents since Franklin Delano Roosevelt inaugurated the retreat in 1942, including John F Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, George W Bush and Barack Obama.
