Whitaker says did not previously discuss Russia probe with Trump, associates

U.S. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker on Friday said he never discussed Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation with President Donald Trump or his inner circle before he took up the top U.S. Department of Justice job.

Asked if he has spoken with the president, any Trump associates or Trump's family members as a private citizen before taking the administration post temporarily last year, Whitaker told the U.S. House Judiciary Committee: "No, I did not." (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Andy Sullivan Writing by Susan Heavey Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)