Trump to rely on outside counsel for Russia probe: Report

WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump is building a team of outside legal counsel to handle his responses to investigations into possible collusion between his campaign and Russian interference in last year's elections, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Several high-profile lawyers are currently being considered to help the president handle the federal and congressional probes, and Trump is personally involved in the search, according to the Post.

It said the president, who declared himself the victim of the "greatest witch hunt" after a special prosecutor was appointed to oversee the investigation into Moscow's efforts to tip the US elections, is favouring the use of a team of lawyers rather than a single attorney.

The finalists to serve as Trump's lead attorney are Marc Kasowitz, Robert Giuffra Jr., Reid Weingarten and Theodore Olson, according to the Post. They would serve separately from the White House Counsel's Office.

Bill Clinton and other past presidents have previously relied on outside counsel to handle particularly difficult legal cases.