The Russia investigation is getting a special counsel – which sharply raises the stakes for U.S. President Trump.

Ex-FBI chief Robert Meuller will oversee the Justice Department’s investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

The announcement was made by Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein.

The announcement follows a swiftly moving series of developments that have caused turmoil in Washington – including Trump’s dismissal of FBI director James Comey – and the disclosure that the president urged Comey to drop the bureau’s investigation into his former national security advisor, Michael T. Flynn.