US House and Senate investigators have requested former FBI Director James Comey's memos of his private discussions with President Donald Trump and any records the White House kept of their discussion including audio recordings.
"Well, I will tell you about that, sometime in the very near future", Trump sidestepped when a reporter directly asked him during a Rose Garden news conference whether the tapes actually exist.
The president said he would be willing to tell that to the newly appointed special counsel in the Russian Federation investigation, Robert Mueller.
He also denied that Comey's version of the events of a February 14 meeting, in which Trump said that he "hoped" that the FBI director could let go of an investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.
The president and Iohannis first spoke of cooperation between the two countries in fighting terrorism, but the conference quickly turned to the Russian Federation investigation when Trump opened the gathering for questions. "I'm not going to say, 'I want you to pledge allegiance'".
Trump also seized on Comey's revelation that he had directed a friend to release memos he'd written documenting his conversations with the president to a reporter.
During a news conference Friday, Trump said he'd have more information related to whether tapes exist at a later date.
Comey friend says he is 'turning over relevant' documents to Federal Bureau of Investigation
After all, at the time, Comey was a private citizen, sharing an unclassified memo he wrote. On Friday he said he was "committing the United States to Article 5".
Mr Trump also didn't rule out the broad hint he dropped in one of his tweets that there might be audiotapes of his White House conversations with Mr Comey.
But, according to Trump Jr., Trump did tell Comey he hoped it would go away.
The president fielded multiple questions Friday regarding Comey's testimony and his claim the former Federal Bureau of Investigation director had told Congress "so many false statements and lies" while under oath.
"Those were lies, plain and simple", Mr Comey said in his opening remarks ahead of the three-hour inquiry.
"I hardly know the man". During his Congressional briefing organised by the powerful Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Thursday, Comey confessed that he leaked the information about his interaction with the USA president.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Meanwhile, leaders of the House Intelligence Committee asked Comey for his notes and memos. "I'll tell you about it over a very short period of time", he said. "No more game playing", Schumer said.
"We were very, very happy and, frankly, James Comey confirmed a lot of what I said". "I hardly know the man, I'm not going to say, 'I want you to pledge allegiance, '"Trump said".
Comments