WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - US President Donald Trump will nominate the former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman as US ambassador to Russia, with the announcement expected later on Tuesday (July 18), a White House official said.

Should he receive confirmation by the US Senate, Huntsman, who has long been expected to be Trump's pick for the job, will head to Moscow as the US Congress and a special counsel investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and whether Trump's campaign had ties to Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied the interference, and Trump has said there was no collusion with Moscow.