US President Donald Trump has denied a newspaper report he had planned to fire US Special Counsel Robert Mueller late last year.
Mr Mueller has been tasked with investigating allegations of Russian meddling in 2016 US Presidential election. US intelligence agencies have concluded that such interference took place, but Moscow denies it.
Mr Mueller is also investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, which Mr Trump has denied.
Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked the special counsel investigation, and on Wednesday he blamed it for Washington's frosty relationship with Moscow.
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that he had tried to fire Mr Mueller in December.
On Thursday, Mr Trump denied that report. "If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him," he said on Twitter.
"Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper!"
A bipartisan group of senators put forward legislation on Wednesday to protect Mr Mueller and his investigation, which the Senate Judiciary Committee will consider next week.
Mr Trump reportedly tried to fire Mr Mueller in June last year too.
The New York Times has won 122 Pulitzer prizes for its reporting, three of them last year.
Reuters / Newshub.
