William Barr: Mueller did not find Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia

Washington: US Attorney General William Barr told Congress that special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government to allegedly interfere in the 2016 election.

"The Special Counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," Barr said in a letter to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on Sunday.

"The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired with the Russian government in its election interference activities," Barr wrote, quoting a confidential report submitted by Mueller on Friday. 

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"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him,"  Mueller wrote in his report. Trump, who repeatedly described the inquiry as a witch hunt, said on Sunday that "it was a shame that the country had to go through this", describing the inquiry as an "illegal takedown that failed". 

"No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!" Trump tweeted on Sunday.

The report is the culmination of two years of investigation by  Mueller which saw some of the president's closest former aides prosecuted and, in some cases, imprisoned.

The summary letter by  Barr outlined the inquiry's findings relating to Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.(UNI)

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