'Smell of desperation': Trump says he's 'not angry' over Russia probe but Twitter isn't buying it

US President Donald Trump insisted on Wednesday (1 November) that he is "not angry at anybody" as the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election gains momentum. Earlier this week, the first charges were filed by special counsel Robert Mueller against Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort, associate Richard Gates and former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos.

The charges against Manafort and Gates included money laundering, tax evasion and conspiracy against the United States. Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators about his conversations with Russians during the election regarding thousands of emails that allegedly contained "dirt" on Hillary Clinton.

In an interview with The New York Times, the president said the charges had nothing to do with the Trump campaign.

"I'm not under investigation, as you know," Trump said during a brief phone call, noting that the charges did not specify any allegations related to his campaign or the presidential election.

"There's not even a mention of Trump in there. It has nothing to do with us," he said. In apparent reference to a recent Washington Post report that described Trump as visibly angry and "increasingly agitated" as Mueller's probe heats up.

"I'm actually not angry at anybody," Trump said.

He also touted what he said was some of his administration's notable accomplishments so far including focusing on deregulation and low unemployment rates in the US.

"I just got fantastic poll numbers," he said but did not cite any particular polls or numbers. According to the latest Gallup poll, the president's job approval ratings have dipped to a new low of 33 percent - his lowest since taking office in January.

"I'm in the office early and leave late; it's very smooth," he continued. "Honestly, I'm really enjoying it."

Twitter, on the other hand, was rather sceptical of Trump's new "air of calm" with one person saying "his tweets say differently."

One Twitter user called his remarks a "trifecta of lies" while another chimed: "Me thinks he doth protest too much."

"By office does he mean golf course?," one user asked. "He's going to have much longer hours in his next 'office'," another said.