Richard Cullen is known for representing high profile clients.

Earlier, US media reported that Donald Trump was being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller for possible obstruction of justice.

Mr Mueller is leading an FBI inquiry into Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Reports in US media said senior intelligence officials would be interviewed on whether Mr Trump tried to end an inquiry into his sacked National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, and about the firing of FBI chief James Comey.

Mr Trump – who has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia – said the move was the latest action in a “phony story”.

“You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history – led by some very bad and conflicted people!” the US president tweeted.

Mr Pence’s office announced the decision to hire Mr Cullen on Thursday. It said the vice-president had earlier interviewed several candidates.

“The vice president is focused entirely on his duties and promoting the president’s agenda and looks forward to a swift conclusion of this matter,” Mr Pence’s spokesman Jarrod Agen said.

Mr Cullen is the chairman of McGuireWoods LLP law firm.

He represented high profile clients such as former US congressman Tom DeLay and Elin Nordegren, ex-wife of golfer Tiger Woods.

He was also involved into the Iran-Contra and the Watergate investigations.

Last month, President Trump hired his own lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, to handle Russia-related investigations by the FBI and US congressional committees.

Why is President Trump reportedly being investigated?

The latest media reports say the obstruction of justice investigation began just days after Mr Trump fired Mr Comey on 9 May.

Mr Comey, who had been leading one of several Russia inquiries, testified to Congress last week that the president had pressured him to drop the inquiry into Mr Flynn.

Mr Flynn stepped down in February after failing to reveal the extent of his contacts with Sergei Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to Washington.

Mr Comey testified under oath that Mr Trump had told him during a private meeting: “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”

The White House has said the president “has never asked Mr Comey or anyone else to end any investigation, including any investigation involving General Flynn”.

Mr Comey said he was “sure” Mr Mueller was looking at whether Mr Trump had obstructed justice.

But Mr Comey also testified that to his knowledge the president had not tried to stop the Russia investigation.

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Source: BBC

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Mr Pence, speaking in Brussels, sought to reassure European allies worried by some of Mr Trump’s statements.

Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, said the EU was counting on unequivocal US support for a united Europe.

Mr Trump’s comments on Brexit and the role of Nato have unsettled allies.

Why are EU leaders worried?

Donald Trump has been vocal in his criticism of international organisations, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), a defence alliance which was initially formed to meet the military threat to Europe from the Soviet Union.

Mr Trump has described Nato as “obsolete”, and criticised members for not meeting the target of spending 2% of their GDP on defence.

He is also seen as friendlier to Russia than his predecessors, and some of his former aides have come under scrutiny for their alleged links with Russia.

And he has spoken out in favour of Brexit, telling the Times newspaper last month that he thought the UK was “so smart in getting out”, and predicting that “others will leave” the EU.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said the US needs “a strong, united European Union”.

“This is not the moment for Europe to divide itself into former national, provincial categories,” he said.

Has Mike Pence managed to reassure EU leaders?

The vice-president says it was Mr Trump who asked him to travel to Brussels for talks with Mr Tusk and Mr Juncker.

Mr Pence told leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference at the weekend that the US would be “unwavering” in its support for Nato.

He also said the US would continue to hold Russia accountable over the Ukraine conflict, though he said that President Trump believed that new common ground could be found with Russia.

He said the US was committed to “partnership with the European Union”, stressed that they “shared the same heritage [and] the same values”.

Mr Tusk said the meeting with Mr Pence was “truly needed”, after what he described as “too many new and sometimes surprising opinions” that had been voiced in past months “for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be”.

Mr Tusk also said Mr Pence had confirmed the US supported “the idea of a united Europe”.

EU officials told reporters they were encouraged by the meeting, with one saying “we got everything we were looking for”.

However, correspondents say EU leaders will also be watching Mr Trump’s words, and actions, to see if they match what his vice-president has pledged.

Analysis by Damian Grammaticas, BBC Europe correspondent

For European leaders this was reassurance, of a sort.

When the US vice-president arrived in Europe at the weekend and didn’t mention US backing for the EU it was noted. Now Mr Pence has done so, importantly in the home of the EU’s institutions, standing side by side with Mr Tusk and Mr Juncker.

But the fact Europeans were waiting for a US leader to make such a statement is a sign these are uncertain times. And it leaves a nagging feeling among Europeans that they can’t be sure President Trump will stick to the same script or differ in his next tweet or unscripted remark.

So for many Europeans the Trump administration remains unpredictable, unclear in its thinking, even divided on key issues.

And Europeans may well wait, putting more store by what a transactional president does, than by what is said. Mr Tusk made a point of telling Vice-President Pence that “Americans and Europeans must… practise what they preach.”

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Source: BBC

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Opponents of US President Donald Trump know he has responded to comments about the size of his hands before.

Now, some internet users have gone one step further and doctored images to make his whole body look minuscule.

At 6ft 2in (187cm), Mr Trump is taller than many world leaders and edges ahead of his predecessor, Barack Obama (6ft 1in – 185cm).

But numerous images have been doctored to make him look tiny, as Reddit users attempt to provoke him to respond.

The mockeries flooding social media span doctored versions of official photos, magazine covers and recent news coverage. They show a shrunken Mr Trump next to landmarks and other people including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Mr Trump has not yet responded to the taunts.

Most of the images can be seen on this trending subreddit. Its moderator, posting as revolution486, wrote: “I’m really excited to get Trump to respond to the meme.”

But one commenter wrote: “I don’t get what’s funny about it. Tiny hands was good but this is just idiotic.”

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Source: BBC

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In the first major foreign policy address for the Trump administration, Mr Pence said the US would “stand with Europe today and every day”.

But he told the gathered leaders that European countries were “failing to pay their fair share” on defence.

That failure “erodes the foundation of our alliance”, he said.

The vice-president pointed out that apart from the US, only four Nato countries had met a 2014 commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defence.

“The time has come to do more,” he said.

President Donald Trump warned before taking office that the US might not uphold its commitment to come to the defence of Nato allies who were not perceived to have contributed enough financially.

Watching the speech was German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who spoke before Mr Pence. Germany is among the nations yet to meet the 2% target.

Nato estimates for 2016 show that only the US, UK, Greece, Poland and Estonia do so.

Mr Pence went on to say that the US would “continue to hold Russia accountable, even as we search for new common ground, which as you know, President Trump believes can be found”.

Mr Pence said Russia must honour a 2015 peace deal agreed upon in Minsk, Belarus, aimed at ending violence in eastern Ukraine.

His comments came amid huge controversy in the US over ties between the Trump administration and Russia, and concern in Europe over whether the new administration would attempt to restrain Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Speaking before Mr Pence, Ms Merkel called for increased co-operation between the US and the European Union on issues including Russian aggression and Islamist terror.

The two leaders were scheduled to meet face to face later in the day.

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Source: BBC

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Archbishop Duncan-Williams gave the Opening Prayer at the service in the presence of President Donald Trump, Vice President Michael Pence, their families, close friends and colleagues at the St. John’s church in Washington DC.

The pair were sworn in afterwards on the steps of the Capitol by the Chief Justice of the United States of America.

The service is known to be a tradition for incoming presidents on the morning of a presidential inauguration, dating back to 1933 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt attended a service with his wife, Eleanor.

The Archbishop in a tweet said he was “honoured to have led the new US administration in a prayer session ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration.”

Honored to have led the new US administration in a prayer session ahead of @realDonaldTrump‘s inauguration. Praise God! https://t.co/0Pq24n8MR3

— N. Duncan-Williams (@ArchbishopNick) January 20, 2017

Trump’s Vice President, Mike Pence, tweeted a photo of the Archbishop leading prayer.

The tweet had the caption, “We begin this historic and humbling day as we do every day, with a moment of reflection and prayer. #InaugurationDay.”

We begin this historic and humbling day as we do every day, with a moment of reflection and prayer. #InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/sfJkGktFpe

— Mike Pence (@mike_pence) January 20, 2017

In opening the service, Archbishop Duncan-Williams, the General Overseer of Action Chapel International headquartered in Ghana, noted the sovereignty of God stating: “you rule in the affairs of men and give the Kingdom to whomsoever you will…We pray that you will give [President Trump, Vice President Pence, their families and the Cabinet] divine fortitude and wisdom above that of Solomon and command divine escapes from unexpected and unforeseen crisis and challenges.”

Archbishop Duncan-Williams, was joined on the program by globally respected US clergy leaders including Senior Pastor Jentezen Franklin; Pastor Mark Burns; Jerry Falwell, Jr; Rev. James Robison; Dr. James Dobson; Rev. Dr. Luis Leon; among others.

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By: Jeffrey Owuraku Sarpong/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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