Trump claims Obama 'knew of election meddling by Russia'

In a fresh salvo directed towards Barack Obama, incumbent U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that the former president was aware of Russian meddling in the November 8 presidential elections, but did nothing about it.

Taking to twitter, President Trump said, "Just out: The Obama Administration knew far in advance of November 8th about election meddling by Russia. Did nothing about it. WHY?"

According to a report published earlier by the Washington Post, Obama was reportedly informed by the CIA in August 2016 that Russian President Vladimir Putin had instructed his operatives to tarnish the Democratic nominee's campaign ahead of the elections.

The White House had said earlier that removing FBI director James Comey from his post might fasten up the agency's investigation into Russian meddling.

Deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders said, "We want this to come to its conclusion, we want it to come to its conclusion with integrity," while referring to the FBI's probe into Moscow's interference in last year's presidential polls, CNN reports.

"And we think that we've actually, by removing Director Comey, taken steps to make that happen."

President Donald Trump would "love nothing more for this investigation to continue to its completion," she added.

On June 11, Comey had accused Trump of firing him to try to undermine the FBI's investigation of possible collusion between the Trump Campaign and Russia in alleged efforts to influence last year's presidential election.

Comey told the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee that the Trump administration had lied and defamed him and the FBI after the President dismissed him on May 9.

The more than two hour-long-testimony saw Comey further informing that Trump had directed him to drop an FBI probe against former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Comey said it should be special counsel Robert Mueller's task to determine whether Trump had obstructed justice, and therefore, had opened himself up to possible impeachment proceedings, keeping the allegations on Russia in mind.

He, however, said that whatever Trump did was "a very disturbing thing, very concerning."

Comey painted a picture of an overbearing president he did not trust and who pressured him to stop the FBI probe of Flynn.

Russia has denied interfering in last year's presidential elections, as has the White House.