Washington | The four lawyers who prosecuted Roger Stone quit the case on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) after the Justice Department over-ruled them and said it would take the extraordinary step of lowering the amount of prison time it would seek for President Donald Trump's longtime ally and confidant.

The departures raised immediate questions over whether Trump, who earlier in the day had blasted the original sentencing recommendation as "very horrible and unfair", had at least indirectly exerted his will on a Justice Department that he often views as an arm of the White House.

AAP