Trump claims Holt altered NBC tape
Cites no evidence on Comey remarks
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday made a baseless charge that NBC News somehow doctored an interview in which he cites the Russia investigation as a factor behind firing FBI director James Comey.
No evidence has been put forward by the president or the White House showing that, as Mr. Trump claimed in his Thursday tweet, NBC anchor Lester Holt was “caught fudging” or doctoring in any way the May 2017 interview
“What’s going on at @CNN is happening, to different degrees, at other networks - with @NBCNews being the worst,” Mr. Trump tweeted Thursday. “... When Lester Holt got caught fudging my tape on Russia, they werehurt badly!”
It was the first time Mr. Trump has suggested any impropriety over his interview with Mr. Holt in the 15 months since it aired.
Mr. Trump didn’t specify what he believed was improperly altered in NBC’s broadcast of the interview. The White House didn’t immediately respond to requests regarding what Mr. Trump was referring to. NBC declined to comment.
In the interview, Mr. Trump referred in part to “this Russia thing” as a consideration in his decision to fireMr. Comey.
The comment suggested that Mr. Trump fired Mr. Comey in part because of his leadership of the FBI’s investigation, which involves allegations that Mr. Trump’s campaign cooperated with Russian operatives to sway theelection.
Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating possible obstruction of justice in the Russia probe.
It’s seen as possible that Mr. Trump is frustrated that other comments from the same interview may have received less attention.
Minutes after he acknowledged that “this Russia thing” was on his mind when he fired Mr. Comey, Mr. Trump also acknowledged that he knew the decision to terminate him might actually prolong the investigation.
In fact it did, with Mr. Mueller investigating the firing for potential obstruction of justice.
“I said to myself, I might even lengthen out the investigation. But I have to do the right thing for the American people,” Mr. Trump said. “He’s the wrong man for that position.”
His lawyers and other supporters have contended that that sentiment is actually helpful for the president, suggesting he couldn’t have been trying to obstruct the investigation by doing something that he knew would actuallydraw it out longer.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is acting as Mr. Trump’s personal attorney, told Fox News host Sean Hannity last month that Mr. Trump “made it clear to Lester Holt that he [fired Mr. Comey] knowing that the [Russia] investigation would continue, so he couldn’t obstruct it.”
“[Reporters]conveniently leave that off whenever they play that tape,” Mr. Giuliani said.“Amazing what they do withtapes.”
Mr. Giuliani, however, hasn’t claimed that Mr. Holt’s interview, as presented by NBC last year, was manipulated.