Happening Today: Russia Probe, FBI Director, Kellyanne Conway, Sunscreen, Chris Cornell, Bobby Moynihan

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Special Counsel for Russia Probe “Divides the Country,” Trump Says

President Trump denounced the appointment of a special counsel to investigate his campaign's ties with Russia, repeatedly calling it an unprecedented "witch hunt" that "hurts our country terribly." Even as he erupted anew, fellow Republicans expressed hopes the move would restore some calm to a capital plunged into chaos. A day after appointing former FBI Director Robert Mueller to lead the independent probe, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appeared behind closed doors before the full Senate. Lawmakers of both parties sought to question him about Trump's firing last week of FBI Director James Comey, which was followed by news that Trump had shared secrets with the Russians and tried to stop Comey from investigating former presidential adviser Michael Flynn. "We'll get rid of the smoke and see where the actual issues lie," said Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. "I do think that the special prosecutor provides a sense of calm and confidence perhaps for the American people, which is incredibly important." Trump strongly disagreed. The appointment, he said in a briefing with news anchors, "hurts our country terribly." He said it "shows we're a divided, mixed-up, not unified country" and is "a very, very negative thing."

New FBI Director “Very Close” to Being Named, Trump Says

President Trump said that he is "very close" to naming a new FBI director to replace the one he fired more than a week ago and that former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman was among his top choices for the job. Lieberman was among four candidates Trump interviewed at the White House. "We're very close to an FBI director," Trump said when asked about the search during an Oval Office appearance with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. Trump said "soon" when asked how close he is to making an announcement. Trump leaves on his first overseas trip as president, a four-country, five-stop tour that will keep him out of Washington for more than a week. He has said he could name a director before he departs. The president also replied "he is" when asked whether Lieberman is a top candidate for the position.

Kellyanne Conway Tells Trump's Supporters to Ignore Critics

President Trump's counselor Kellyanne Conway has told supporters in New Hampshire they should "just ignore" his critics and the incessant chatter about the scandals dogging him. Conway was guest speaker at the fundraising Spring to Victory dinner, hosted by the New Hampshire Republican State Committee in Nashua. About 150 people attended. The crowd was largely friendly to Conway, applauding when she mentioned Trump's proposed tax plan and efforts to overhaul the health care law. Some people in attendance withheld applause when Conway let loose with snarky comments about Hillary Clinton. Conway encouraged the room full of Republicans to pivot from being the party of the job creators to become the party of the job holders. She says people who have "one, two and three jobs" make up more of the voting population and "turned this election."

Many Sunscreens Don’t Meet Their SPF Claims, According to Consumer Reports

If you think all sunscreens are created equal, think again. Consumer Reports has released its annual list of top sunscreens as well as a warning about the SPF number on some bottles: If you put too much faith in them, you could be putting your skin at risk. SPF, which stands for sun protection factor, measures how well a sunscreen guards against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, the chief cause of sunburn and a contributor to skin cancer. For the fifth year in a row, Consumer Reports found some sunscreens during testing failed to provide the level of protection promised on the package. In fact, of the more than 60 products tested, 23 were found to have less than half of the labeled SPF number. The Food and Drug Administration requires manufacturers to have their products tested to determine the SPF because sunscreens are classified as over-the-counter drugs. However, the agency doesn’t routinely test sunscreens itself and manufacturers don’t have to report their results to the FDA unless the agency requests them.

Soundgarden Rocker Dies by Suicide

Chris Cornell had become one of the most lauded and respected contemporary lead singers in rock music, thanks to his charismatic energy onstage and wide vocal range. He was a leader of the grunge movement with Seattle-based Soundgarden — with whom he gained critical and commercial acclaim — but also found success outside the band with other projects, including Audioslave, Temple of the Dog as well as solo albums. His death stunned his family and his die-hard fans, who Cornell just performed for hours earlier at a show in Detroit. The city's medical examiner said in a preliminary autopsy result that the 52-year-old singer killed himself by hanging. A police spokesman told two Detroit newspapers that the singer was found with a band around his neck. Soundgarden's current tour kicked off in late April and was planned to run through May 27.

Bobby Moynihan Leaving “Saturday Night Live”

Bobby Moynihan will leave "Saturday Night Live" following this weekend's season finale after nine seasons on the NBC show. Deadline.com reports Moynihan is bowing out after CBS picked up the pilot for "Me, Myself & I," a sitcom starring Moynihan and John Laroquette. Moynihan is the second-longest tenured member of the "SNL" cast behind Keenan Thompson. His best known recurring character is Drunk Uncle, who shows up to tell stories on the show's "Weekend Update" segment. Moynihan has also voiced characters in the animated films "The Secret Life of Pets," ''Inside Out" and "Monsters University."