Trump To Comey Ahead Of Testimony: 'I Wish Him Luck'
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) – Ahead of Thursday's congressional testimony from fired FBI Director James Comey, President Donald Trump hosted several lawmakers for dinner at the White House Tuesday night.
Among them was Florida's Marco Rubio, one of the senators who will be asking Comey questions two days from now.
REPORTER: "Mr. President, what message to you have for James Comey ahead of his testimony?"
TRUMP: "I wish him luck. Thank you, everybody. Thank you all very much."
That was Trump's response following reports that Comey's testimony will be a mixed bag. No evidence of obstruction, but no assurances to trump that he was not part of the Russia investigation, as the president has asserted.
This comes as multiple new reports outline the president's efforts to get the FBI to back off its investigation of former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that President Trump personally asked the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats to intervene with the FBI's probe. Coats will testify to Congress on Wednesday.
And the New York Times is reported that Comey told Attorney General Jeff Sessions not to leave him alone with the president, presumably because Comey was uncomfortable with the president's urging to back off the Flynn investigation.
REPORTER: "How would you describe the president's level of confidence in the Attorney General Jeff Sessions?"
SEAN SPICER: "I have not had a discussion with him about that."
While White House Press Secretary Spicer didn't comment, there's news that things have gotten so tense between the president and his attorney general, that Sessions has offered to quit.
REPORTER: "Last time you said that there was a development."
SPICER: "I'm asking, answering a question. I have not had that discussion with him. I said I have not had a discussion with him. I said I have not had a discussion with him on the question. If I haven't had a discussion about a subject, I tend not to speak about it."
The president's anger with Attorney General Sessions stems from the fact that Sessions recused himself from anything to do with the Russia investigation, after it was revealed that he'd lied about meetings that he'd had with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. during the campaign.
The president thinks Sessions' recusal has led to all the problems his administration is now facing.
