Over half of House Democrats back Trump impeachment inquiry

More than half of House Democrats have called for launching an impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump, media reports said.

House Representative Salud Carbajal of California released a statement on Friday demanding the impeachment inquiry, saying that the president "evaded truth, encouraged his staff to lie repeatedly to investigators and engaged in obstruction", reports Xinhua news agency. "I've read the full Mueller Report, the President knew the rules and he broke them - he cannot be above the law," Carbajal said in the statement.

"That is why I believe it is time to open an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump."

Including Carbajal, so far 118 out of 235 House Democrats have publicly called for opening an inquiry, according to an NBC report.

More than two dozen Democrats have now voiced support for moving ahead with the impeachment process after former Special Counsel Robert Mueller testified before Congress in late July, said the report.

Despite the growing calls for an impeachment inquiry, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has remained steadfast in recommending restraint.

"We will proceed when we have what we need to proceed - not one day sooner," Pelosi said at her final weekly press conference last week before the House departed for its six-week summer recess, urging Democrats to "legislate, investigate and litigate".