Comey vs. Trump:
What They’ve Said
President Donald Trump and former FBI Director James Comey had a contentious relationship well before last year’s election, starting with Comey’s public declaration in July that “no reasonable prosecutor” would charge Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and her staff over their “extremely careless” handling of emails at the State Department.
Since the election, their conflict escalated over the FBI’s investigation into Russian meddling in the campaign—and into whether anyone close to Trump colluded with the Russians, an inquiry Trump has called a “witch hunt.”
Ties With Russia
Jan. 6, 2017: U.S. intelligence agencies issue a report
Intelligence report:
“We assess with high confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election, the consistent goals of which were to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Secretary [Hillary] Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency.” Comey's FBI joins in the report.
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Jan. 27, 2017: Trump and Comey have dinner at the White House
Trump:
“We had a very nice dinner, and at that time, he told me, ‘You are not under investigation,’ which I knew anyway,” Trump said in an interview with NBC months later in reference to a dinner with Comey that occurred on Jan. 27.
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Trump:
“I think he asked for the dinner. And he wanted to stay on as the FBI head,” Trump said in the NBC interview. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper questioned that account, saying Comey told him at the time that he was “uneasy” about having dinner at Trump’s request. Associates of Comey said Trump repeatedly asked an uncomfortable Comey if he would pledge his loyalty.
March 20, 2017: Comey testifies to Congress
Comey:
“The FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. And that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia’s efforts.”
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Comey:
“I have no information that supports those tweets and we have looked carefully inside the FBI,” Comey responded when asked about Trump’s tweets alleging that his predecessor Barack Obama “wiretapped” Trump Tower.
May 12, 2017: Trump tweets
Trump:
“James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” Trump tweeted as Comey’s version of his discussions with the president appeared in news reports. White House officials declined to say whether Trump secretly records his conversations.
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Michael Flynn Investigation
Michael Flynn was Trump’s national security adviser for less than a month when forced to resign on Feb. 13 for misrepresenting the nature of a meeting with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential transition.
Feb. 14, 2017: Trump meets with Comey at the White House
Comey's memo:
“I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go,” Trump told the FBI director in reference to the investigation of Flynn, according to a memo written by Comey as cited by the New York Times on May 16.
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White House:
“The president has never asked Mr. Comey or anyone else to end any investigation, including any investigation involving General Flynn.”
Comey's Firing
May 9, 2017: Trump sends Comey a letter
Trump:
“I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation,” Trump wrote in a letter firing Comey. He provides no details on that assertion. White House spokesmen focus on a letter from the deputy attorney general sharply criticizing Comey’s public pronouncements on Clinton’s emails.
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May 10, 2017: Trump meets with top Russian diplomats
Trump:
“I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job…I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off” Trump told visiting Russian officials on May 10, according to a summary of an Oval Office meeting read to the New York Times by an American official.
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May 11, 2017: Trump gives an interview with NBC
Trump:
“Regardless of recommendation, I was going to fire Comey. In fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story,” Trump said in the interview with NBC.
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