Trump warns former Federal Bureau of Investigation chief against talking to the media

He tweeted on Friday: "James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" Trump wrote in one of six tweets that began at 7:15 a.m.

In front of the TV cameras hours later, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer wouldn't comment on whether the president is recording conversations.

In the modern presidency, even the preservation of delicate diplomatic telephone conversations with foreign heads of state involves the use of trained note takers, not audio recordings. "The president has nothing to add on that", Spicer responded, followed by: "As I said, for the third time, there is nothing further to add on that".

Trump told USA news network NBC in a televised interview that he asked Comey on three separate occasions whether he was personally targeted in the ongoing investigation, remarks that raised allegations of presidential interference in the investigation. "[Spicer] could have said 'no.' He could have said 'yes.' He said 'I have nothing for you on that'". As he ended his briefing, Spicer ignored a shouted question about whether he had asked the president if White House conversations were recorded.

But Daskal also said Trump's comments could still cause him trouble. "He keeps a very robust schedule", Spicer said. "In fact, when I made a decision to just do it, I said to myself, I said, 'You know, this Russian Federation thing with Trump and Russian Federation is a made-up story".

Nixon's taping system provided that foolproof evidence of the president's involvement in the scandal to investigators in 1973.

Critics have assailed Trump for abruptly dismissing Comey just as the agency is investigating alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and possible Moscow ties to the Trump presidential campaign.

"One thing I learned at DOJ about Comey: he leaves a protective paper trail whenever he deems something inappropriate happened", former Obama Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller tweeted Thursday night about the White House dinner.

In a speech where he quoted the lyrics of the musical "Avenue Q", he declared that the USA was at a crossroads on matters of race and policing.

Donald Trump was reportedly unhappy with how his press team handled fallout from Tuesday's decision to fire Mr Comey, so he's taken things into his own hands. A New York Times story published Thursday evening reported that Trump had asked Comey at a private January dinner to pledge loyalty to the new president.

Rosenstein, who has the power to name a special prosecutor, won't likely change his mind unless he believes the Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into Trump-Russia ties is at risk, according to CNN.

"I will tell you that what he did, what Comey did, had good moments for me as a candidate".

Litigious himself, and familiar with being the target of litigation, Trump did not want his words mischaracterized or invented.

"When (former director of national intelligence) James Clapper himself, and virtually everyone else with knowledge of the witch hunt, says there is no collusion, when does it end?"

Instead of standing firm against such Russian ploys, Trump has steadfastly denied them.

Comey has not publicly discussed any conversations he has had with Trump.

The South Carolina Republican is best known for leading the congressional inquiry into the deadly attacks on a United States facility in Benghazi, Libya, a panel that oversaw a lengthy grilling of Hillary Clinton in 2015.

"He said he got a report from the number two over at the attorney general's office laying out why James Comey should probably depart", McCarthy told Kern Radio on Wednesday. "And I think that's where there's a lot of dismay, and I don't think it's something that just alone the president feels".

By that measure, Trump succeeded.

Like many administrations, the relationship between Trump and the press has been tense.

Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Republican Senator John Cornyn, New York Appeals Court Judge Michael Garcia and former Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher will be interviewed on Saturday for the post, an administration official said. Indeed, Comey himself would learn of his firing from news accounts from CNN, on a television screen at the FBI's field office in Los Angeles, announcing his removal as he was about to give a speech to Federal Bureau of Investigation recruits.

A growing number of legal experts say President Trump has opened himself up to a charge of obstruction of justice this week when he said "this Russian Federation thing with Trump" was on his mind when he fired FBI Director James B. Comey.