Sean Spicer doesn't comment on whether Trump recorded Comey conversations
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer refused to answer questions Friday about whether there are recording devices in the White House or if the president recorded a conversation with fired FBI Director James Comey, after the president tweeted that Comey had "better hope that there are no 'tapes'" of conversations between the two of them.
"The president has nothing further to add on that," Spicer said multiple times in his first briefing since Comey's firing, refusing to say any more beyond characterizing the tweet as "not a threat." Comey was in charge of the FBI investigation into Russian election meddling until he was abruptly fired Tuesday. Since then, questions continue to mount about the timing and the reasoning behind Mr. Trump's decision to fire Comey.
The White House has claimed Mr. Trump fired Comey because he lost the confidence of rank-and-file FBI employees and because of a Tuesday recommendation from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Comey over his handling of the Clinton email investigation. But Mr. Trump himself on Thursday contradicted initial statements (as well as his own termination letter of Comey), claiming he was going to fire Comey regardless of any DOJ recommendation. He added in an interview with NBC Thursday that when he decided to fire Comey, he thought of the "made-up" story about his connections to Russia.
"The bottom line is, is that the director of the FBI serves at the pleasure of the president," Spicer said Friday.
CBS News confirmed a New York Times story Thursday that during their dinner in January, that Mr. Trump asked whether Comey would be loyal to him, and that Comey pledged only that he would be honest. Spicer denied that the president would ever ask for personal loyalty from the FBI director.
Spicer also said he did not know whether the president consulted White House legal counsel before asking Comey if he was under investigation, a question the president asked "because the narrative continues to be perpetuated" that Mr. Trump has ties to Russia. Mr. Trump claimed in his termination letter to Comey that the FBI director had told him on three occasions that he was not under investigation.
Spicer also backed up Mr. Trump's tweeted assertion that Clapper "says there's no collusion" between his campaign's associates and Russia, asserted that Clapper had said "multiple times" that "'there was no collusion.'" "It's interesting how the story changed," Spicer said of the former DNI.
The president suggested Friday morning over Twitter that maybe "it would be best to cancel" the White House press briefings, after Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave an account of the decision to fire Comey that was in direct conflict with what Mr. Trump said later. The president suggested, again over Twitter, that because he's such "a very active president," that his surrogates can't speak for him "with perfect accuracy."
Asked about this, Spicer defended the White House press team and echoed the president's tweet. "He keeps a very robust schedule," Spicer said, adding, "I think sometimes we don't have an opportunity to get into see him to get his full thinking."
Still, Spicer would not acknowledge that there were multiple and sometimes contradictory rationales for Comey's firing that came from the White House.
When asked if Mr. Trump is considering canceling briefings, Sean said "I think he's a little dismayed as well as a lot of people that we come out here and try to do everything we can to provide you and the American people with what he's doing on their behalf -- what he's doing to keep the nation safe, what he's doing to grow jobs, and yet we see time and time again an attempt to parse every little word and make it more of a game of gotcha as opposed to really figure out what the policies are, why -- why something's being pursued, or what the update is on this."
Follow the live blog below for updates on the 1 p.m. briefing.
Spicer unsure if Trump consulted WH counsel before asking Comey about investigation
"I don't know," Spicer said when asked whether the president asked White House lawyers ahead of time whether it was appropriate to ask Comey if he was under investigation.
The president decided to ask Comey whether he was under investigation "because the narrative continues to be perpetuated" that Trump has ties to Russia, Spicer said.
Spicer declines to comment on Trump tweet about possible Comey tape
Spicer declined multiple questions about Mr. Trump's tweet saying Comey had "better hope that there are no tapes" of his dinner with the former FBI director.
"The president has nothing further to add on that," Spicer said repeatedly, declining to answer whether the conversation with Comey was taped or whether the White House has recording devices.
He also said that tweet isn't a threat.
"That's not a threat," Spicer said of the tweet.
McMaster denies U.S. is shifting from "America first" campaign promise
McMaster, declined to answer a question related to the intelligence community and Comey's firing, also denied that the U.S. is shifting away from an "America first" foreign policy stance.
"America first didn't mean America alone, ever," McMaster said, adding that the U.S. doesn't need to "bankroll" everything and other nations need to be a part of the burden sharing.
"What it means is that the president is prioritizing the security and interests of the American people," he said, clarifying what the White House means by "America first."
"The president's leadership has been welcomed" everywhere he will be visiting on his first trip abroad, McMaster said.
McMaster said Mr. Trump "has not made a decision yet about a course for action" on the level of troops in Afghanistan.
Spicer, McMaster avoid addressing Comey in introduction
Spicer said nothing of the president's decision to fire Comey as he stepped up to the podium at 1:23 p.m., commenting only on the "full house" in the briefing room.
"Apparently, I was a little missed," he said.
Spicer invited National Security Adviser General H.R. McMaster to the podium to address the president's upcoming first foreign trip.
