Trump's 'perjury': Exchange during Bill Barr’s confirmation hearing spells big trouble for the president

An exchange between Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and attorney general nominee William Barr takes on new significance after a bombshell report revealed President Donald Trump directed his lawyer to lie to Congress.

A new report reveals special counsel Robert Mueller has significant evidence that Trump ordered Michael Cohen to mislead congressional investigators about his negotiations to build a Trump Tower Moscow.

Congressional Democrats and legal experts have said that would amount to obstruction of justice and subornation of perjury, and Klobuchar asked Barr to comment directly about such actions during Tuesday's confirmation hearing.

"A president persuading a person to commit perjury would be obstruction," Klobuchar said. "Is that right?"

"Yes," Barr testified.

"You also said that a president — or any person — convincing a witness to change testimony would be obstruction," Klobuchar asked. "Is that right?"

"Yes," Barr said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, also asked Barr whether it would be a crime if “the president tried to coach somebody not to testify, or testify falsely."

“Yes,” Barr said. “Under an obstruction statute, yes.”