The Latest: McConnell sees no need to protect Mueller

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and the special counsel's Russia probe (all times local):

3 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he's seen no clear indication that Congress needs to step in and pass legislation that would prevent the firing of special counsel Robert Mueller.

McConnell was pressed Tuesday on whether the Senate is doing enough to prevent the possibility of President Donald Trump firing Mueller.

The questions came after Trump called Mueller's investigation "an attack on our country."

McConnell says it's the view of most people in Congress that Mueller should be allowed to finish his investigation.

McConnell also tells reporters he doesn't believe Mueller will be removed. He says: "I think he will be allowed to finish the job. He should be allowed to finish the job he was assigned."

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2:55 p.m.

The White House says President Donald Trump thinks he can fire special counsel Robert Mueller, but isn't taking that step now.

That's according to press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who said Tuesday that Trump "certainly believes that he has the power" to fire Mueller.

Sanders says Trump believes that Mueller's probe has "gone too far" after federal agents raided the offices of the president's personal attorney Michael Cohen on Monday. Acting with a search warrant, the raid was carried out at least in part based on a referral from Mueller's team to a federal prosecutor in New York.

Under Justice Department regulations, only Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the Russia investigation, can fire Mueller.

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12:05 p.m.

The No. 2 Republican in the Senate, John Cornyn of Texas, says he's confident President Donald Trump won't fire special counsel Robert Mueller.

Cornyn told reporters Tuesday, "I don't believe that's going to happen."

The GOP whip says lawmakers are letting the White House know that firing Mueller "would be a mistake" as Trump fumes over the FBI raid of his personal attorney's home and office.

Cornyn says he expects Mueller will be able to finish his probe of Russian interference into the 2016 election, and that his dismissal would have consequences "that not even the president can anticipate."

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11:35 a.m.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley says it would be political "suicide" for President Donald Trump to fire special counsel Robert Mueller.

Grassley, an Iowa Republican, says he has confidence in Mueller and Trump should, too, adding: "It would be suicide for the president to want to talk about firing Mueller. The less the president said on this whole thing, the better off he would be, the stronger his presidency would be."

Grassley tells Fox Business Network that Mueller may be "coming to a dead-end as far as collusion of Trump with Russia in this election" and speculates Mueller may "appreciate being fired" so he could end the inquiry.

Trump is fuming after federal agents raised his personal attorney's office in New York. He calls Mueller investigation a "witch hunt."

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10 a.m.

President Donald Trump's personal lawyer is asking a federal judge to dismiss a defamation claim brought by a porn actress who said she had an affair with Trump.

An attorney for Michael Cohen filed court papers in Los Angeles late Monday asking to dismiss Stormy Daniels' claim as a frivolous lawsuit.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, alleged Cohen defamed her by insinuating she lied when she said she had an affair with Trump in 2006.

Cohen argues he didn't defame her and that Daniels is a liar because she previously denied the affair and now contends she had sex with Trump.

He also argues she hasn't suffered any damages and that his statements were an opinion and "rhetorical hyperbole" under the law.

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7:10 a.m.

President Donald Trump is fuming about what he says is abuse of attorney-client privilege after federal agents raised his personal attorney's office in New York.

Trump said on Twitter Tuesday that "Attorney-client privilege is dead!" He added: "A TOTAL WITCH HUNT!!!"

Agents raided the office of Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen on Monday, seizing records on topics including a $130,000 payment made to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

The raid was overseen by the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan and was based in part on a referral from special counsel Mueller, said Cohen's lawyer, Stephen Ryan.

Trump raged over the raid Monday, calling it a "disgrace." He also called Mueller's investigation "an attack on our country," prompting new speculation that he might seek the removal of the Justice Department's special counsel.

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12:12 p.m.

Federal agents have raided the office of President Donald Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen, seizing records on topics including a $130,000 payment made to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

The raid infuriated the president, who said publicly it was a "disgrace" that the FBI "broke into" his lawyer's office. Trump called Mueller's investigation "an attack on our country," prompting new speculation that Trump might seek the removal of the Justice Department's special counsel, Robert Mueller.

Cohen's lawyer, Stephen Ryan, says the raid was overseen by the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan and was based in part on a referral from Mueller.

The raid creates a new legal headache for Trump as he and his attorneys weigh whether to agree to an interview with Mueller's team.