The president just admitted that no tapes exist of his conversations with James Comey, following weeks of threatening for former FBI director with the false existence of audio.
On Thursday, Donald Trump wrote on Twitter, “…whether there are “tapes” or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings.”
“With all of the recently reported electronic surveillance, intercepts, unmasking and illegal leaking of information, I have no idea…” he continued.
These new sentiments contradict Trump’s previous statement made in May saying, “James Comey better hope that there are no “tapes” of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!”
This confession comes weeks after both Democrats and Republicans have urged the President to cough up the alleged tapes. “I don’t understand why the president just doesn’t clear this matter up once and for all,” Sen. Susan Collins of Maine previously said.
During Comey’s testimony a few weeks ago in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the now private citizen gave a damning narrative about his troubling conversations with the president, who he says fired him over the Russia investigation.
When asked about the probability of tapes between he and Trump, Comey infamously responded, “I’ve seen the tweet about tapes. Lordy, I hope there are tapes.”
Shortly after Trump made the announcement on Thursday, many took to social media to share their thoughts on his obvious confession.
According to CNN, a senior administration official said Thursday that it became clear Trump had to clean up his lie about the Comey tapes before the Friday deadline set on him by Congress to hand over any recordings. Their reports also state that the official said the President has been amused at all the obsessing over this.
“If he doesn’t regret this, he should,” the Republican associate told reporters.