Trump denies blocking FBI probe
UNITED STATES: US President Donald Trump says he has not obstructed the FBI’s probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and did not record his conversations with former FBI chief James Comey.
Comey was leading the investigation into allegations that Russia tried to sway the election toward Trump and the possibility Trump associates colluded with Moscow when the president fired him on May 9, sparking a political firestorm.
‘‘Look, there has been no obstruction, there has been no collusion,’’ Trump told Fox News, which released a partial transcript of the interview.
The former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation testified before a Senate committee that Trump had asked him to drop a probe into former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s alleged ties to Russia.
Earlier yesterday, Trump said he did not make and did not possess any tapes of his conversations with Comey, after suggesting last month he might have recordings that could undercut Comey’s description of events.
‘‘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 wrote on Twitter.
Lawmakers investigating allegations of Russian interference in the election had asked the White House for any such recordings.
Shortly after dismissing Comey, Trump mentioned the possibility of tapes in a Twitter post. ’’James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!’’ he tweeted on May 12.
Allegations of ties to Russia have cast a shadow over Trump’s first five months in office.
Trump had privately told aides that the threat of the existence of tapes forced Comey to tell the truth in his recent testimony, a source familiar with the situation said.
Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, said Trump still had questions answer about possible tapes.
‘‘If the president had no tapes, why did he suggest otherwise? Did he seek to mislead the public? Was he trying to intimidate or silence James Comey? And if so, did he take other steps to discourage potential witnesses from speaking out?’’ Schiff said.
In his interview with Fox, Trump expressed concern about what he described as the close relationship between Comey and special counsel Robert Mueller, who was appointed to take over the investigation after Comey was fired. ‘‘Well he’s very, very good friends with Comey, which is very bothersome,’’ Trump said.
– Reuters to