"Mueller should not be permitted to demand that the President submit to interrogation about alleged obstruction," according to the Barr memo.
If confirmed by the full Senate, Barr will assume oversight of Mueller's investigation, which has focused on possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow during the 2016 US presidential election and whether the president obstructed justice, among other things.
The special counsel has so far indicted or gotten guilty pleas from 34 people, including six former Trump associates and over two dozen Russian nationals, as well as three Russian entities. Trump has repeatedly dismissed any collusion between his campaign and Moscow, while slamming the Mueller probe as a "hoax" or "witch hunt."
Whitaker said late last month the Mueller-led investigation is "close to being completed," although there has been no confirmation of this from the special counsel's office. Democrats have also criticized Barr for not committing to publicly releasing Mueller's findings.
During his confirmation hearing earlier this year, Barr, 68, assured senators of his independence and said that he would not be bullied by anyone into doing something he believes is wrong if he becomes the attorney general.
Barr also said he will not allow any interference with the Mueller probe, adding that he will release the special counsel's final report as much as he can under the law.
--IANS vc
