President Trump Says He Has No Comey Tapes, Calls Russian Hacking A 'Hoax'

WASHINGTON, DC — President Trump said on Twitter Thursday that he made no tapes of his conversations with former FBI Director James Comey, though he added that he can't be sure no such recordings exist.

"With all of the recently reported electronic surveillance, intercepts, unmasking and illegal leaking of information," he wrote, "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."

Questions about the tapes first arose when Trump himself seemed to threaten Comey, whom the president fired in May, tweeting, "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Trump has disputed some of the former FBI director's claims about their private conversations. Comey, for example, said that Trump asked for his loyalty and that he said he hoped Comey would let go of the investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Trump denies these claims. Trump had also said that Comey had told him three times that he was not personally under investigation by the FBI; Comey testified that these claims were true before the Senate.

Because Comey has testified under oath about these conversations, he would be open to perjury charges if it turns out he intentionally misled the Senate.

When asked about the potential of recordings during his hearing, Comey said, "Lordy, I hope there are tapes."

Earlier in the day, Trump also called the Russian hacking and interference in the 2016 election, which leaders of all the major American intelligence agencies have testified happened, a "hoax."

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