Comey told lawmakers earlier this month that Trump in recent months had asked for his personal loyalty, urged him to drop the investigation of the contacts the president's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, had with Russia's ambassador to Washington, and to "lift the cloud" of the Russian Federation investigation, none of which he acceded to.

His attorney Jay Sekulow took to the Sunday shows this weekend to insist otherwise: no, the president isn't under investigation because the Justice Department has not told him that he is.

Sekulow's comments, in an interview with "Face the Nation", came after Mr. Trump slammed reports that FBI Special Counsel Robert Mueller is reviewing whether or not Mr. Trump tried to obstruct justice amid ongoing investigations into any ties between his presidential campaign's or transition's associates and the Russian government.

The vice president's office said thatPence has retained Richard Cullen, a Richmond-based lawyer and chairman of McGuire-Woods who previously served as a USA attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.

A source said the investigators have also interviewed Coats, former deputy director of NSA Richard Ledgett and Rogers, who testified that they were not pressurized by the Trump Administration officials. Mueller was appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and has expansive powers to probe any matters that develop from his initial investigation.

Sekulow also said that Trump's tweet that led people to believe he was under investigation was in response to a Washington Post story in which unnamed sources said the president was being investigated.

Gingrich referred to a Wednesday Washington Post story alleging that Mueller was expanding the Russian Federation probe to include investigation Trump for potential obstruction of justice following his firing of Comey. If Trump would seriously consider firing Sessions, it stands to reason that he would dispose of Comey.

The Washington Post story that Sekulow is referring to cites five officials speaking on condition of anonymity, indicating that they were not allowed to discuss the matter publicly, who claim to have been briefed on interview requests from Mueller with top intelligence officials.

So here is the theory of this purported case from the Washington Post. Trump got rid of Comey, in May to hamper an inquiry into his sacked national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

In all likelihood, the president is already under investigation or soon will be. SEKULOW: I think the president is going to address that in the week ahead. The White House used a memo he wrote to justify Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, but Trump's firing of Comey may now be part of the probe.

Last week, Trump sent a tweet referring to being the victim of a "witch hunt". "No one has been notified that he is [under investigation]", Sekulow said.

Sekulow: No, Chris, I said that - let me be crystal clear so you completely understand.

Wallace: ... First of all, you've now stated that he is being investigated. He has also brought Andrew Weissmann, who headed the Enron probe, the report said.

Comey made the existence of this investigation public in a March hearing before the House intelligence committee.

"I think he's furious", Gingrich said of the president.