Special counsel Robert Mueller has convened a grand jury to investigate the alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, US media reports said, suggesting that his probe was expanding to focus on financial crimes.
The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news, said this was a sign that Mueller's inquiry was growing in intensity and entering a new phase. A CNN report said that the investigation has now widened to focus on possible financial crimes.
Mueller, a former FBI director, was appointed in May - after James Comey was abruptly fired as the chief of the investigating agency - to probe the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
The impanelling of the grand jury means that Mueller could be expected to hear from witnesses and demand documents in the coming weeks, American media reports said.
The Russian meddling allegations have weighed in on the Trump administration, putting the US president in a difficult position hindering his efforts to improve ties with Moscow.
The development came as Trump signed a law authorising new sanctions on Russia on Wednesday. A week before that, the US Congress had overwhelmingly voted in support of the legislation, curtailing room for Trump to modify or lift the sanctions without congressional approval.
Ty Cobb, special counsel to Trump, said he was not aware that Mueller had started using a new grand jury. "Grand jury matters are typically secret," he said.
"The White House favours anything that accelerates the conclusion of his work fairly... The White House is committed to fully cooperating with Mueller," he said.
Cobb added that Comey had said three times Trump wass not under investigation and "we have no reason to believe that has changed."
Congressman Jimmy Gomez said the reports of Mueller impanelling a grand jury demonstrates that there are serious questions about foreign adversaries trying to gain influence through the financial interests of the US president, his family members, and other associates.
"Congress must uphold its duty to defend the Constitution and investigate President Trump's financial dealings," he said.
"President Trump's refusal to divest from his business holdings and release his tax returns create the possibility of foreign corruption and we must follow the money to ensure that his foreign entanglements do not constitute a national security challenge to the United States," Gomez said.
Democratic National Committee CEO Jess O'Connell said the grand jury was a further confirmation that this was not a "witch hunt".
Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of Senators yesterday introduced legislation that would create a judicial check on the executive branch's ability to remove a special counsel.
The Special Counsel Independence Protection Act (SCIPA) ensures that any action by the Attorney General or Acting Attorney General to remove a special counsel from office must first be reviewed by a panel of federal judges.
"Our bill allows judicial review of any decision to terminate a special counsel to make sure it's done for the reasons cited in the regulation rather than political motivation," said Senator Lindsay Graham, a co-author of the bill.
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