US President Donald Trump's lead lawyer for the federal special counsel probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election has resigned.
John Dowd stepped down after concluding Mr Trump was increasingly ignoring his advice, a person familiar with the matter was quoted as saying in a New York Times article.
Both Mr Trump and Russia deny there was any interference in the election campaign.
Mr Dowd has been the lead lawyer since last summer, when Mr Trump’s long-time personal lawyer Marc Kasowitz stepped down.
The latest shakeup to the legal team has been rumoured for several days.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump beefed up his legal team with a lawyer who accuses the FBI and US Justice Department of trying to frame the businessman with false charges of colluding with Russia during the 2016 election campaign.
That appointment may signal a more aggressive drive to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Washington lawyer Joseph di Genova will join the legal team this week, according to attorney Jay Sekulow, who also represents Mr Trump.
Last week, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters that veteran Washington lawyer Emmet Flood is under consideration for a White House job assisting Mr Trump with the Russia probe.
Mr Mueller is investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the 2016 election.
Russia denies any interference and Mr Trump has said there was no collusion.
