President Trump tweeted a veiled threat Friday toward former FBI Director James B. Comey over possible tapes of their conversations.
Trump had tweeted, "James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" But critics will question whether Trump is perhaps implying that he recorded his conversations with Comey.
In an interview with NBC on Thursday, the president revealed that he had spoken with Comey multiple times about the Russian Federation investigation, including two phone calls and a dinner, before ultimately choosing to dismiss him.
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". The FBI director also dismisses the president's tweets alleging that Obama ordered Trump Tower to be wiretapped during the election.
The dinner came in the early days of Trump's administration, as the FBI was investigating Russian meddling in the election and possible ties to Trump's campaign. Moscow has denied interference in the election, and the Trump administration denies allegations of collusion with Russian Federation. "Trump's remark comes just hours after The New York Times published an account of a dinner he had with Comey a week after he was sworn in in January", the Daily Caller wrote, referring to reporting based on claims from unnamed individuals that Comey spoke to. He suggested that he would prefer sending hand-written handouts to media than briefing them in White House. "But I'll tell you what he did, he brought back his reputation", Republican nominee Donald Trump says.
Comey again promised his "honesty", but did not pledge loyalty, the Times reported.
Senate Can't Pass Methane Rollback So Interior Decides To Do It Anyway
McCain having an animated conversation with Republican colleagues, before casting his "no" vote, and hurrying out of the chamber. That echoes a similar sentiment from Graham .
The U.S. Senate's No. 2 Democrat, Richard Durbin, slammed the president after Friday's tweet about Comey. "He wanted to stay on as the Federal Bureau of Investigation head, and I said, 'I'll consider - we'll see what happens'".
In a statement, Durbin said that what he characterized as Trump's admission that he fired Comey because of the Russian Federation probe was "dangerously close to obstruction of justice". Trump said in a string of Twitter posts on Friday morning.
Trump added that "as a very active president with lots of things happening", it's impossible for him to stay in such close communication with his staff that the briefings would be completely accurate.
The dinner took place just after the White House had been warned by the then attorney general that Mr Trump's national security advisor Michael Flynn had been "compromised" and was vulnerable to blackmail over ties to Russian Federation.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer told a news briefing that Trump did not demand Comey's loyalty.
The White House initially said Comey was sacked on the recommendation of the two top officials at the Justice Department. In the NBC interview on Thursday, Trump said he would have fired Comey regardless of any such recommendations.
Comments