Democrats call to start impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump after Robert Mueller’s remarks

US President Donald Trump has hit back after Robert Mueller made his first public comments in two years about the Russia probe.

US President Donald Trump has hit back at special counsel Robert Mueller’s bombshell remarks, arguing the case was “closed”.

Mr Mueller said in his first public comments in two years his Russia investigation had not exonerated Mr Trump, and he lacked the power to charge a sitting president — passing the baton to Congress where a growing chorus is clamouring for impeachment.

But Mr Trump maintained he was — like all Americans — innocent until proven guilty.

“Nothing changes from the Mueller report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you,” the President said in a tweet minutes after Mr Mueller spoke,

Mr Trump has blocked US Representative Jerry Nadler’s House Judiciary Committee subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mr Mueller’s report has settled everything.

Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019

Mr Nadler the US Congress needed to respond to Mr Trump’s “crimes, lies and other wrongdoing” in the absence of legal action by the Justice Department.

Mr Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, made the call after Mr Mueller said charging a sitting US president with a crime through the Russia probe was “not an option”.

Under the Constitution, any further action was up to Congress, the former FBI director said.

In response, Mr Nadler said on Twitter, “Given that special counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump — and we will do so.”

RELATED: Robert Mueller speaks publicly for first time in two years

“No one, not even the president of the United States, is above the law.”

Other senior Democrats including 2020 presidential hopefuls Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker followed suit, saying Mr Mueller’s comments made it clear Congress must take action since the Justice Department could not.

Read my statement following Special Counsel Robert Muller's press conference this morning on the conclusion of the investigation into President Trump and his associates: pic.twitter.com/1FDMotIgiY

— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) May 29, 2019

Given the reality that we have a president who believes he is above the law, Congress must continue its investigations. If the House Judiciary Committee deems it necessary, I will support their decision to open an impeachment inquiry. https://t.co/6lTVdcaTXc

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 29, 2019

Robert Mueller’s statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately.

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 29, 2019

Mueller leaves no doubt:
1) He didn't exonerate the president because there is evidence he committed crimes.
2) Justice Department policy prevented him from charging the president with any crimes.
3) The Constitution leaves it up to Congress to act—and that's impeachment.

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 29, 2019

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s reaction was measured, saying in a statement: “The Congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power.

“The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy. The American people must have the truth.”

Former vice president and 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden echoed Ms Pelosi, saying in a statement: “Vice president Biden agrees with Speaker Pelosi that no one would relish what would certainly be a divisive impeachment process, but that it may be unavoidable if this administration continues on its path.”

Special counsel Robert Mueller speaks on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Picture: AFP

Mr Mueller, speaking publicly for the first time in two years on Wednesday, said he believed he was constitutionally barred from charging President Trump with a crime and emphasised that his report did not exonerate the President.

“A special counsel’s office is part of the Department of Justice, and by regulation, it was bound by that department policy,” Mr Mueller said.

“Charging the President with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider,” the former FBI director explained.

“If we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so,” Mr Mueller said.

“We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the President did commit a crime.”

Case closed says US President Donald Trump. Picture: AP

Mr Mueller’s statement came amid demands for him to testify on Capitol Hill about his findings and tension with Attorney-General William Barr over the handling of the Mueller report.

That report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Mr Trump’s favour over Democrat Hillary Clinton. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the President had obstructed justice.

Nancy Pelosi gave a careful response to Mr Mueller’s remarks, saying, ‘The American people must have the truth.’ Picture: AP

“Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office,” Mr Mueller said at his press conference in Washington DC.

“That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited.”

Mr Mueller said he was barred from charging President Trump with a crime and pointedly emphasised his Russia report did not exonerate the President.

If he could have cleared Mr Trump of obstruction of justice he “would have said so”, Mr Mueller declared.

The special counsel’s remarks, his first in public since being tasked two years ago with investigating Russian interference to help Mr Trump win the 2016 presidential election, stood as a strong rebuttal to Mr Trump’s repeated claims he was exonerated and the inquiry was merely a “witch-hunt”.