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| Comey to testify Trump told him: 'I expect loyalty' | Comey to testify Trump told him: 'I expect loyalty' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former FBI Director James Comey will testify to Congress on Thursday that President Donald Trump told him at a dinner: "I expect loyalty." | Former FBI Director James Comey will testify to Congress on Thursday that President Donald Trump told him at a dinner: "I expect loyalty." |
| According to his opening statement, Mr Comey will also say the president asked him to drop an inquiry into fired National Security Adviser Mike Flynn. | According to his opening statement, Mr Comey will also say the president asked him to drop an inquiry into fired National Security Adviser Mike Flynn. |
| Mr Comey will back up the president's assertion that the FBI chief assured him Mr Trump was not under scrutiny. | Mr Comey will back up the president's assertion that the FBI chief assured him Mr Trump was not under scrutiny. |
| He will say Mr Trump called the Russian probe "a cloud" over him. | He will say Mr Trump called the Russian probe "a cloud" over him. |
| In Thursday's eagerly anticipated hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mr Comey will detail his interactions with Mr Trump leading up to his firing on 9 May. | In Thursday's eagerly anticipated hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mr Comey will detail his interactions with Mr Trump leading up to his firing on 9 May. |
| It is one of several congressional panels that, along with the FBI, is investigating US intelligence assessments that Russian hackers meddled in last November's presidential election in an effort to help Mr Trump beat Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. | |
| The inquiries are also investigating whether any Trump campaign officials colluded with the alleged Kremlin plot, which Moscow has repeatedly denied. | The inquiries are also investigating whether any Trump campaign officials colluded with the alleged Kremlin plot, which Moscow has repeatedly denied. |
| Mr Comey will say his first meeting with the president occurred on 6 January in a conference room at Trump Tower, where Mr Comey briefed him alone on "salacious and unverified" allegations about him. | Mr Comey will say his first meeting with the president occurred on 6 January in a conference room at Trump Tower, where Mr Comey briefed him alone on "salacious and unverified" allegations about him. |
| A dossier compiled by a former British intelligence official had claimed the Russian security services possessed compromising material on Mr Trump, including that he had been recorded consorting with prostitutes at a Moscow hotel. | A dossier compiled by a former British intelligence official had claimed the Russian security services possessed compromising material on Mr Trump, including that he had been recorded consorting with prostitutes at a Moscow hotel. |
| Mr Comey's statement says the president "expressed his disgust for the allegations and strongly denied them" during a subsequent meeting. | Mr Comey's statement says the president "expressed his disgust for the allegations and strongly denied them" during a subsequent meeting. |
| Who do you believe? Anthony Zurcher, BBC News | Who do you believe? Anthony Zurcher, BBC News |
| It's like a sneak preview of a blockbuster movie - this opening statement should be preceded with a "spoiler alert!" warning. | It's like a sneak preview of a blockbuster movie - this opening statement should be preceded with a "spoiler alert!" warning. |
| Mr Comey is going to largely confirm all the reports that were circulating in the media about what took place during his private meetings with the president - the talk of loyalty, the pressure on the FBI to ease off its Flynn investigation, the multiple requests for public confirmation that the FBI was not targeting Mr Trump himself. | Mr Comey is going to largely confirm all the reports that were circulating in the media about what took place during his private meetings with the president - the talk of loyalty, the pressure on the FBI to ease off its Flynn investigation, the multiple requests for public confirmation that the FBI was not targeting Mr Trump himself. |
| While Mr Comey casts the president in a less-than-flattering light, he does shy away from directly accusing the president of obstruction of justice. Much will be made of how the two men may have interpreted the phrase "honest loyalty" differently. In addition, Mr Comey viewed the president's Flynn request as only relating to his conversations with the Russian ambassador and not the investigation as a whole. | While Mr Comey casts the president in a less-than-flattering light, he does shy away from directly accusing the president of obstruction of justice. Much will be made of how the two men may have interpreted the phrase "honest loyalty" differently. In addition, Mr Comey viewed the president's Flynn request as only relating to his conversations with the Russian ambassador and not the investigation as a whole. |
| That may not matter much, however. | That may not matter much, however. |
| Large portions of the former director's account is in direct contradiction with Mr Trump's version of their meetings. It sets up a "he-said, he-said" situation - but Mr Comey has memos and conversations with other FBI officials to buttress his case. | Large portions of the former director's account is in direct contradiction with Mr Trump's version of their meetings. It sets up a "he-said, he-said" situation - but Mr Comey has memos and conversations with other FBI officials to buttress his case. |
| What's more, if recent polls are any indication, the American public trusts him more than the president. Mr Comey's performance under questioning - particularly if Mr Trump responds angrily via Twitter - could further sour the public mood. | What's more, if recent polls are any indication, the American public trusts him more than the president. Mr Comey's performance under questioning - particularly if Mr Trump responds angrily via Twitter - could further sour the public mood. |
| That denial came in a one-on-one dinner on 27 January at the White House, Mr Comey will say, adding that he had a "very awkward conversation" with the president that evening. | That denial came in a one-on-one dinner on 27 January at the White House, Mr Comey will say, adding that he had a "very awkward conversation" with the president that evening. |
| Mr Trump asked the FBI director during the discussion in the Green Room whether he wanted to stay in his job, Mr Comey will testify. | Mr Trump asked the FBI director during the discussion in the Green Room whether he wanted to stay in his job, Mr Comey will testify. |
| He will say he found this "strange" because Mr Trump had already told him twice in earlier conversations that he hoped he would not step down. | He will say he found this "strange" because Mr Trump had already told him twice in earlier conversations that he hoped he would not step down. |
| The former FBI director will testify the question "concerned me greatly" because he felt the dinner was an effort to "create some sort of patronage relationship". | The former FBI director will testify the question "concerned me greatly" because he felt the dinner was an effort to "create some sort of patronage relationship". |
| The former FBI director will say: "A few moments later, the president said, 'I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.' | The former FBI director will say: "A few moments later, the president said, 'I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.' |
| "I didn't move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed. We simply looked at each other in silence." | "I didn't move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed. We simply looked at each other in silence." |
| In testimony, the former FBI director will detail his next encounter with Mr Trump, during a meeting attended by intelligence chiefs at the White House on 14 February. | In testimony, the former FBI director will detail his next encounter with Mr Trump, during a meeting attended by intelligence chiefs at the White House on 14 February. |
| The president asked Mr Comey to stay at the end of the Oval Office meeting and told him: "I want to talk about Mike Flynn." | The president asked Mr Comey to stay at the end of the Oval Office meeting and told him: "I want to talk about Mike Flynn." |
| Mr Trump accepted Mr Flynn's resignation as national security adviser just 24 days into the job after he misled the White House about his conversations with the Russian ambassador. | Mr Trump accepted Mr Flynn's resignation as national security adviser just 24 days into the job after he misled the White House about his conversations with the Russian ambassador. |
| Mr Comey will say Mr Trump told him: "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy." | Mr Comey will say Mr Trump told him: "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy." |
| The former FBI director will testify that he offered no such assurance. | The former FBI director will testify that he offered no such assurance. |
| Mr Comey will also say the president phoned him on 30 March and said the Russia investigation was "a cloud that was impairing his ability to act on behalf of the country". | Mr Comey will also say the president phoned him on 30 March and said the Russia investigation was "a cloud that was impairing his ability to act on behalf of the country". |
| The former FBI director will testify that Mr Trump "said he had nothing to do with Russia, had not been involved with hookers in Russia". | The former FBI director will testify that Mr Trump "said he had nothing to do with Russia, had not been involved with hookers in Russia". |
| Mr Comey will say he assured Mr Trump during their discussions on 6 January, 27 January and 30 March that the president himself was not under investigation. | Mr Comey will say he assured Mr Trump during their discussions on 6 January, 27 January and 30 March that the president himself was not under investigation. |
| He will testify that Mr Trump told him during the 30 March phone call: "We need to get that fact out." | He will testify that Mr Trump told him during the 30 March phone call: "We need to get that fact out." |
| The former FBI director will say Mr Trump phoned him again on 11 April to press him on this matter. It was the last time they spoke. | The former FBI director will say Mr Trump phoned him again on 11 April to press him on this matter. It was the last time they spoke. |
| Mr Comey will say he told the president the White House should contact the Department of Justice. | Mr Comey will say he told the president the White House should contact the Department of Justice. |
| The former FBI director notes that he spoke with President Barack Obama only twice during the more than three years that their time in office overlapped. | The former FBI director notes that he spoke with President Barack Obama only twice during the more than three years that their time in office overlapped. |
| But he can recall nine one-on-one conversations with Mr Trump in four months, three in person and six on the phone. | But he can recall nine one-on-one conversations with Mr Trump in four months, three in person and six on the phone. |
| Mr Trump's interactions with Mr Comey are likely to fuel Democratic suggestions that the president may have tried to obstruct justice. | Mr Trump's interactions with Mr Comey are likely to fuel Democratic suggestions that the president may have tried to obstruct justice. |
| However, the Republican president will seize on Mr Comey's vindication of Mr Trump's assertion that he himself was not under scrutiny. | However, the Republican president will seize on Mr Comey's vindication of Mr Trump's assertion that he himself was not under scrutiny. |
| Mr Trump said in his dismissal letter to Mr Comey: "I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation." | Mr Trump said in his dismissal letter to Mr Comey: "I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation." |