Trump aide faces Russia questions

Donald Trump's son-in-law and top aide Jared Kushner will appear before a Senate panel investigating Russian interference in the US election, the White House said Monday.

Kushner, 36, was Trump's main intermediary with foreign governments during the 2016 election campaign and now plays that role in the White House.

He arranged meetings between Trump and leaders from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. But it is his contacts with Russian officials that are now coming under the microscope, amid explosive allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, reported AFP.

Trump took to Twitter to insist that "Trump Russia story is a hoax," urging lawmakers to instead focus on his losing rival for the presidency, Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state.

"Throughout the campaign and transition, Jared Kushner served as the official primary point of contact with foreign governments and officials," a White House official said. "Given this role, he has volunteered to speak with Chairman (Richard) Burr's committee, but has not yet received confirmation," the official said.

Meanwhile, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatened on Monday to cut off US Justice Department grants to cities that fail to assist federal immigration authorities, moving the Trump administration closer to a potential clash with leaders of America's largest urban centers.