Attorney General Merrick Garland had agreed not to make the special counsel's findings public while the Justice Department appealed a judge's dismissal of the case.

Donald Trump's administration has reassigned about 20 senior career Justice Department attorneys, two sources familiar with the moves told Reuters, as the new president moves swiftly to shake up an arm of government that has long drawn his ire.

The directives to Justice Department employees could face fierce blowback from legal advocacy groups and officials in cities and states led by Democrats.