Politics
Richard Drew/AP
Billionaire co-founder of Galleon Group Raj Rajaratnam, right, enters Manhattan federal court with his attorney John Dowd, Friday, April 29, 2011, in New York. Jury deliberations continue in the trial of Rajaratnam, who is accused of gaining $63 million from trading on illegal stock tips.
John Dowd, the defense attorney who was leading President Donald Trump's team in the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, has resigned from representing him, The New York Times reported Thursday.
The revelation comes as Trump has increasingly vented his frustration toward the Russia investigation and Mueller. Dowd invited intense scrutiny last weekend when he publicly called for deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein to shut down the Russia investigation, which Dowd characterized as corrupt and biased against Trump.
Dowd's resignation is also likely just one part of a broader legal team shakeup Trump is said to be considering. The president is reportedly weighing whether to fire White House lawyer Ty Cobb, who has largely advocated for a more cooperative approach toward the probe. Trump recently hired Joseph diGenova, a controversial former federal prosecutor known for peddling conspiracy theories about the Department of Justice and the FBI.
Trump reportedly made the decision without consulting with his top advisers and after speaking to friends and loyalists on the phone.
Dowd's resignation and the impending shakeup indicates that Trump will likely increase his offensive against Mueller and the Russia probe, which he has called a "hoax" and a "witch hunt."
This story is developing. Check back for updates.