Sean Spicer: 'The President Has Nothing Further' On Taped Conversations

WASHINGTON, DC — Press Secretary Sean Spicer stonewalled reporters Monday on all questions related to the possible taping of White House conversations by President Trump, not budging an inch from prior public statements on the matter.

These questions began Friday when Trump tweeted, "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" This led reporters to ask whether or not the president is in the habit of taping his conversations, a practice that helped lead to the downfall of President Nixon. Spicer has refused to comment on the subject. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Spicer repeated the phrase "The president has nothing further on that" whenever asked about the possible recordings. Since some lawmakers have asked to examine any such tapes that exist, a reporter asked if he would comply with such a request. But again, Spicer has no answer.

"Why won't you just explain whether or not there are recordings of the president's conversations?" asked Hallie Jackson of NBC News at Monday's press briefing.

"The president has made it clear what his position is," Spicer said.

But Jackson pressed on: "So given that you refuse to confirm or deny any of this, how is any senior official supposed to feel comfortable having a conversation with the president?"

"Hallie, I answered the question over and over again the same way," Spicer said.

Spicer was also asked about the president's travel order, which faced another battle in the courts Monday. In response to a question about why the president hasn't disavowed his previous pledge to roll out a "Muslim ban," Spicer simply insisted that the order is lawful and will be upheld.

Though he had been asked about the question before, Spicer still did not have an answer about whether or not Trump requested his now-famous dinner with former FBI Director James Comey, during which some reports suggest the president asked for Comey's loyalty. The president also said that Comey reassured him that night that the FBI was not investigating him, though some reports contradict this account.

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