Donald Trump has said he has no recordings of his controversial conversations with former FBI Director James Comey - but has left open the possibility that such an audio record may exist.
The President has ignited a furore when he had tweeted last month in the aftermath of his firing of Mr Comey, while he was heading a probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. “James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press,” he said.
For weeks, Mr Trump and the White House refused to confirm or deny whether or not any such recordings existed. “Well, that I can’t talk about,” the President had told Fox News shortly after he published the initial tape.
“I won’t talk about that. All I want is for Comey to be honest. And I hope he will be.”
At one point, the issue appeared to descend to the level of farce. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, promised reporters she would “search under the couches” for such recordings, while Mr Comey urged Mr Trump to release them if they existed.
“I’ve seen the tweet about tapes. Lordy, I hope there are tapes,” Mr Comey told the senators, when he was testifying on Capitol Hill.
Mr Trump has now said he does not have recordings, suggesting his original tweet was either meant to intimidate Mr Comey, or else simply distract attention from the firing of the FBI head.
“With all of the recently reported electronic surveillance, intercepts, unmasking and illegal leaking of information, 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,” he said.
