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The US justice department has demanded that Robert Mueller limit his congressional testimony to “the boundaries of [his] public report”, ahead of the former special counsel’s appearance before two House of Representatives’ committees.
Mr Mueller will appear at the highly anticipated hearings , in front of the judiciary and intelligence committees, on Wednesday.
Bradley Weinsheimer, the US assistant deputy attorney general, warned the 74-year-old that his testimony “must remain within the boundaries of your public report because matters within the scope of your investigation were covered by executive privilege.”
“These privileges would include discussion about investigative steps or decisions made during your investigation not otherwise described in the public version of your report,” Mr Weinsheimer added, in a letter sent to Mr Mueller.
The department’s letter comes just weeks after Mr Trump issued a similar warning on Twitter.
Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and puttingShow all 100 1 /100Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump walk to a joint news conference holding hands
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting People march holding anti-Trump signs in Edinburgh while the US. President is visiting Trump Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort in Scotland
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump depart from Glasgow Prestwick Airport
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump on the back
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting President Donald Trump waves whilst playing a round of golf at Trump Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donut TrumpScotland United Against Trump demonstrators gather at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump plays a round of golf at Trump Turnberry
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting People march holding anti-Trump signs
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump waves form golf course
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump goes for a stroll
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump blimpA giant balloon depicting US President Donald Trump as an orange baby is launched as protesters gather in the Meadows, after taking part in the Scotland United Against Trump march through the streets of Edinburgh
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting U.S. President Donald Trump drives his golf buggy
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A Greenpeace protester flying a microlight passes over Donald Trump's resort in Turnberry
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump look at the media during their arrival on Air Force One at Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Scotland United Against Trump demonstrators gather at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Security and police teams surround the perimeter of Trmup's golf course
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Scotland United Against Trump demonstrators
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Teams of police officers patrol the beach outside near Trump Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Pro-Trump supporters demonstrate outside the US Embassy in support of President Donald Trump's visit to the UK, in London
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Scottish Labour leader, Richard Leonard speaks to crowd
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Ex-pat
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators hold placards near the golf resort owned by US President
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters wear orange face makeup
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Pro-Trump supporters demonstrate outside the US Embassy in London
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump protestors on the beach near to the Trump Turnberry resort
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protestors against the UK visit of US President Donald Trump near Aberdeen
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A mounted police officer patrols anti-Trump rally
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump supporter Bill McGibbon outside his cottage near to the Trump Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Queen Elizabeth II and President Donald Trump inspect an honour guard at Windsor Castle
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Queen Elizabeth II stands with US President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, during their visit to Windsor Castle
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump walks ahead of Queen Elizabeth
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald and Melania Trump listen to the Coldstream Guards, play the US national anthem next to the Queen
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters in Windor
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and first lady Melanie Trump are greeted by Queen Elizabeth II, during an arrival ceremony with the Guard of Honour at Windsor
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Queen Elizabeth II waits to greet US President Donald Trump as he arrives by helicopter
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Ed Miliband joins the march
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting PM and President
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protestors hold banners
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting UK meets US
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protests at Trump visit
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump and May
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protests at Trump visit
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters for the 'Stop Trump' Women's March gather in London
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May hold a joint press conference
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump and Theresa May attend a press conference
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators protest against the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Prime Minister Theresa May walks with US President Donald Trump at Chequers
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump UK protest
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting First Lady, Melania Trump, tries her hand at bowls
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President and British Prime Minister at Chequers
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrator in Black Lives matter T-shirt
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Theresa May and Donald Trump enter Chequers
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protestors wearing Donald Trump and Theresa May paper mache heads join the protest in Butler's Cross
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting First Lady, Melania Trump, looks on as Philip May tries bowls
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting American Psycho poster
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting First Lady, Melania Trump, reacts as she tries her hand at bowls
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump protest in London
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Theresa May, Donald Trump with US ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnson and British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the start of the bilateral meeting at Chequers
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Melania Trump and Philip May wave flags
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump is greeted by Theresa May
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The US First Lady Melania Trump, helps children to make poppies
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The handshake between Donald Trump and Theresa May
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators raise a six meter high effigy of Donald Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump stands alongside Theresa May after he arrived for talks at Chequers, her country residence in Buckinghamshire
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A six-meter high cartoon baby blimp of Donald Trump hovers next to the statue of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting First Lady, Melania Trump, accompanied by Philip May, meets schoolchildren and British Army veterans
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A lookalike of former British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson stands next to a person in a cage wearing a money suit and a mask of Donald Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump gestures as he prepares to board Marine One to depart the US ambassador's residence Winfield House
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators stand in front of a blimp portraying US. President Donald Trump, in Parliament Square
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The Prime Minister hosts President Trump and First Lady Melania at a black tie dinner with business leaders at Blenheim Palace
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The Prime Minister, accompanied by husband Philip, arrive with President Trump and First Lady Melania to a black tie dinner with business leaders at Blenheim Palace
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The Prime Minister and President Trump are seen holding hands, not for the first time
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting President Donald Trump pumps his fist during his arrival, with first lady Melania Trump, in Regent's Park
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators bang pots and pans as they gather at the US ambassador residence in Regent's Park
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump walk in the grounds of the US ambassador's residence Winfield House
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A demonstrator protests next to the specially erected fence surrounding the US ambassador's residence
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A motorcade arrives at Winfield House in London, the residence of American Ambassador to the to the Court of St James's
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A presidential helicopter lands in the grounds of the US ambassador residence in Regent's Park
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters chant and wave placards during a demonstration outside Winfield House
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting he Marine One helicopter carrying US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump flies past the BT Tower
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters chant and wave placards during a demonstration outside Winfield House
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump disembark from Air Force One after arriving in the UK
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US First Lady Melania Trump and US President Donald Trump are greeted by US Ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnson
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Trump and Melania Trump leaving Stansted Airport
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting An honour guard stands to receive US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald and Melania
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox on their arrival
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US Marine Corps Osprey aircraft taking off
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Us President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump disembark from Air Force One
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Trump and Melania Trump arrive at Stansted
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A giant 'Human Rights Nightmare' banner is unfurled by Amnesty International activists across the river Thames on Vauxhall Bridge to protest against the visit of US President Donald Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump waves as he arrives in the UK
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting An armed police officier waits on the tarmac at Stansted Airport
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive at Stansted Airport
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Armed police await the arrival of US President Donald Trump at Stansted Airport
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“Robert Mueller is being asked to testify yet again,” the president said earlier this month.
“He said he could only stick to the Report, & that is what he would and must do. After so much testimony & total transparency, this Witch Hunt must now end. No more Do Overs. No Collusion, No Obstruction.”
Democrats are expected to ask the former special counsel about Donald Trump’s alleged misconduct.
Mr Mueller’s public report, published in March 2019, discussed numerous examples of contact between Russian officials and Mr Trump’s campaign, but found no evidence of a criminal conspiracy.
The report also laid out examples of 10 incidents in which the US president sought to hinder the probe.
Despite his findings, Mr Mueller did not draw a conclusion on whether Donald Trump obstructed justice.
William Barr, the US attorney general and a member of the Trump administration, later ruled that there was not enough evidence to bring obstruction charges against the president.
Mr Barr’s ruling has proved highly controversial and has been called into question by Democrats.
Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chair of the judiciary committee, said he thought there was “substantial evidence ” that Mr Trump had committed “high crimes and misdemeanours”.
Several Democrats in the House of Representatives are pressing to impeach the president, but such evidence would be required for proceedings to begin.
The Democratic leadership has avoided an impeachment attempt, as Nancy Pelosi, the house speaker, believes it would harm the party’s 2020 electoral chances.
But the party remains split, with progressives such as Al Green continuing to call for the president’s removal.
Mr Mueller completed his investigation into Russian election interference in March 2019, following a probe which took nearly two years.
A spokesperson for Mr Mueller said no one at the justice department, the White House or congress would read the 74-year-old’s statement before he delivered it on Wednesday.
Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The former special counsel has been using offices at his former law firm WilmerHale and working with a small team to prepare for the back-to-back hearings.
Mr Mueller has previously said that he will not go beyond the content of the report in his congressional testimony.
“He will come well prepared,” the spokesperson added.
“His team has been working on this for a while and they will be ready for whatever comes their way.”
Additional reporting by agencies
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