‘I’ll testify under oath about Comey’

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump says he is “100%” willing to testify under oath about his conversations with former FBI chief James Comey.

Accusing Comey of giving false testimony to the US Congress, Trump on Friday dismissed the Senate hearing over the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the last year’s presidential election as a politically charged proceeding.

He also said he had never asked Comey, who he fired last month, for his “loyalty” over the investigation, a key part of Comey’s testimony.

The president also said Comey’s statement had failed to show he obstructed justice or his campaign advisers colluded with the Russian government to influence the poll.

“The hearing was an excuse by the Democrats, who lost an election they shouldn’t have lost,” he said.

“It was just an excuse but we were very happy and, frankly, James Comey confirmed a lot of what I said and some of the things that he said just weren’t true.”

During his testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, Comey said Trump had directed him to drop an FBI probe into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s alleged ties to Russia.

But Comey wouldn’t go as far as to say Trump’s words were part of an effort to obstruct. “I took it as a very disturbing thing, very concerning, but that’s a conclusion I’m sure the special counsel will work towards to try to understand what the intention was and whether that’s an offence.”

Flynn was forced to resign from his post in February after it was revealed he had misled Vice-president Mike Pence about his conversations with a Russian official.

Comey told Congress Trump asked him in January to pledge loyalty to the president, an unusual request that would put in doubt the independence of the FBI.

“I hardly know the man. I’m not going to say I want you to pledge allegiance. Who would do that?” Trump said. – The Independent