A frenzied year in Washington is going out with a roar as the political forces that combined to make the first half of President Donald Trump's mandate so turbulent come to a head in a hugely consequential run-up to the holidays.
Looming over everything is the new reality, fueled by weeks of court filings by special counsel Robert Mueller and other prosecutors, that every corner of Trump's public life is now under investigation: his White House, his campaign, his presidential transition, his inaugural committee, his businesses.
The President's sense of persecution prompted a rage-filled Twitter outburst on Sunday that also appeared to reflect concern about cooperation agreements secured by Mueller with his longtime personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
"The Russian Witch Hunt Hoax, started as the 'insurance policy' long before I even got elected, is very bad for our Country," Trump tweeted.

"They are Entrapping people for misstatements, lies or unrelated things that took place many years ago. Nothing to do with Collusion. A Democrat Scam!"