Trump says he did not tape FBI chief
WASHINGTON — President Trump acknowledged Thursday that he had not recorded his conversations with James Comey, the FBI director he fired amid the Justice Department’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia.
With all of the recently reported electronic surveillance, intercepts, unmasking and illegal leaking of information,” Trump said in a pair of tweets, “I have no idea whether there are ‘tapes’ or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings.
Trump’s statement brings to an end speculation that began shortly after accounts emerged about the president’s exchanges with Comey — speculation the president himself began with a post on Twitter that warned the former FBI director that there might have been tapes of their conversations.
Trump appeared at the time to be referring to an article in the New York Times reporting that he had asked Comey to pledge loyalty during a dinner at the White House shortly after the inauguration, only to be rebuffed by the FBI director, who considered the request inappropriate.
Some legal experts have said that Trump’s threat could be used in an obstruction of justice case against him, since it could be interpreted as putting pressure on Comey not to discuss their conversations about the FBI’s Russia investigation.