The White House is denying that President Donald Trump asked then-FBI director James Comey for his loyalty during a White House dinner in January.
On Friday (Saturday NZT), Trump tweeted: "James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!"
Trump's latest tweet alluding to the possibility of recordings further added to the heightened drama of the past two days as the White House tries to do damage control on the messaging surrounding Comey's firing.
Trump began his day on Friday with a series of inflammatory Twitter posts, including a barely veiled threat against Comey, an assertion that it's "not possible" for his spokespeople to accurately represent him, and a suggestion he may end the White House's practice of briefing reporters on most weekdays.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer listens to national security adviser H.R. McMaster during the daily news conference at the White House on Friday.
As has happened on previous occasions since Trump took office, different versions rapidly circulated of an event, in this case phone conversations between Comey and Trump and a dinner the pair had at the White House.
But as Trump scrambled to stanch his political wounds, he may have inadvertently shone a spotlight on a mounting credibility problem for the White House that could pose as significant a threat to his agenda as the outcome of the Russian Federation investigation.
"The FBI is unlikely to regain public and congressional trust until it has a Director who understands the gravity of the mistakes and pledges never to repeat them", he wrote.
Russian probe hits a new stride as Trump hosts Kremlin leaders
And not only did he have that meeting in the Oval Office, but he allowed a Russian photographer in to document that meeting. He wrote a message to his US colleagues on Facebook today saying that he went through the usual screenings.
"We don't have press conferences. unless I have them every two weeks and I do it myself", Trump ruminated in an interview with Jeanine Pirro, a Fox News Channel personality, that is set to air Saturday. Meanwhile, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, Dick Durbin of IL, said Friday that Trump was "dangerous" and that "his credibility has been destroyed".
That explains why he went into great detail with Holt about what he said were the three times he asked Comey if he was under investigation, despite the appalling appearance of conflict and potential intimidation.
The president, who has been angered by continuing news coverage of the Russian Federation investigation, also threatened to cancel press briefings as his communications team faced criticism for issuing different versions of the decision to fire Mr Comey.
But Trump shattered that explanation himself on Thursday when he said he had always meant to fire Comey and that his decision was linked to the ongoing investigation into his campaign's ties with Russian Federation.
His testimony on Thursday lessened any speculation that he could be chosen as a permanent replacement for Comey, and it's not clear whether he will stay on as deputy under a new Federal Bureau of Investigation director.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, tweeted "Mr. President, if there are "tapes" relevant to the Comey firing, it's because you made them and they should be provided to Congress". A 2009 memo drafted by former Attorney General Eric Holder dictates that only the attorney general and the deputy attorney general can communicate with the White House.
Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday and directly contradicted several White House talking points. Comey says he refused but promised to be honest.
The White House Correspondents Association objected to Trump's threat. Yingst also asks if Trump is considering canceling the press briefing.
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