Donald Trump could face subpoena to appear before Russia probe grand jury, warns Robert Mueller

Special counsel for investigation says he will have no choice if president's lawyers continue to insist he has no obligation to talk with federal investigators

Donald Trump (AP)

Donald Trump could face a subpoena to appear before a grand jury in the Russia probe, Robert Mueller has warned.

The special counsel for the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential campaign has said he will have no choice if Mr Trump’s lawyers continue to insist he has no obligation to talk with federal investigators.

John Dowd, a former lawyer for Mr Trump, said the possibility was raised in a meeting with Mr Mueller in March.

“This is not some game,” Mr Dowd said at the meeting, according to the Washington Post – who cited two people with knowledge of his comments.

“You are screwing with the work of the president of the United States."

After the meeting, Mr Mueller’s team agreed to provide more specific questions about the questions they would like to ask.

Nearly four dozen of the questions that were sent to the US president's attorneys were published by The New York Times on Monday.

They include questions on Mr Trump’s ties to Russia, his motivations for firing James Comey from his post as FBI director, and contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russians.

Mr Trump took to Twitter to criticise the leak of the questions.

“So disgraceful that the questions concerning the Russian Witch Hunt were ‘leaked’ to the media,” Mr Trump tweeted.

“No questions on Collusion. Oh, I see...you have a made up, phony crime, Collusion, that never existed, and an investigation begun with illegally leaked classified information. Nice!”

In a second tweet, he added: “It would seem very hard to obstruct justice for a crime that never happened.”