Trump pleads with Mueller to ‘stick to report’ in testimony and not reveal further details about investigation

Politicians have suggested that questioning could reveal more details about the president

Donald Trump has said Robert Mueller "must stick to the report" when he testifies to Congress.

"Robert Mueller is being asked to testify yet again," he said on Twitter. "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. The Great Hoax is dead!"

Mr Mueller has agreed to testify before the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees on 17 July. The appearance comes just months after the release of the special counsel's 400-page report into possible Russian interference in the election, and he is expected to be asked in detail about the contents of that report.

He has repeatedly committed to discussing only the information contained within the report, and not any other details outside of it. In a press conference at the end of May, Mr Mueller made clear that he would not discuss issues outside of the report, including Mr Trump's claims about it – but some commentators have questioned what he meant by those answers.

Mr Trump's tweet appears to be a plea for Mr Mueller to do the same when he is questioned, and not reveal any more about what was found during the investigation.

The politicians who will grill Mr Mueller have suggested that they hope to find out more about the president's behaviour.

“It’s clear that most Americans – and even some Members of Congress – have not read Mueller’s report, and understand the deeply unethical, unpatriotic and corrupt behaviour that he uncovered by the Trump campaign and President Trump,” said a spokesperson for representative Eric Swalwell, a Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. “That’s why it is so important that Americans hear directly from Mueller himself.”

The president has repeatedly looked to characterise the investigation into Russian interference in his election as being a "witch hunt", and suggested that he was vindicated by the findings of the report.