What Trump says Comey told him about being cleared

— -- President Donald Trump says that former FBI Director James Comey told him three times that the president was not personally under investigation in a probe to determine whether any campaign associates colluded with Russian officials to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

"He said it once at dinner and then he said it twice during phone calls," President Trump said in an interview with NBC. "I actually asked him, yes. I said, 'If it's possible, would you let me know, am I under investigation?' He said, ‘you are not under investigation.’”

"Then during a phone call he said it. And then during another phone call he said it," Trump continued.

Trump had written in his letter firing James Comey: "While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau."

"I had a dinner with him. He wanted to have dinner because he wanted to stay on. We had a very nice dinner at the White House," he said in the NBC interview. "A dinner was arranged, I think he asked for the dinner. And he wanted to stay on as the FBI head. And I said I'll consider and we'll see what happens. But we had a very nice dinner. And at that time he told me 'you are not under investigation.'"

But Trump said that he already knew that he was not under investigation. "First of all, when you're under investigation you're giving all sorts of documents and everything. I knew I wasn't under," he said, according to the interview.

He also said that he had heard he was not under investigation during a committee hearing. "I've heard that from others I think," Trump added. "I heard it was stated at the committee, at some committee level, that I wasn't."

"I know that I'm not under investigation. Me. Personally," Trump said. "I'm not talking about campaigns. I'm not talking about anything else. I'm not under investigation."

Related Stories

Man kills wife, 3 kids in mass shooting: Police

• Apr 23, 12:35 PM

Trump, NY AG resolve dispute over $175M bond

• Apr 22, 12:14 PM

OJ Simpson dies at 76

• Apr 11, 6:32 PM

Former FBI Director Comey has not made public comments since he was fired, with the exception of a letter to staff members saying farewell.

Associates of Comey's told ABC News that they were skeptical that Comey would tell Trump he was in the clear amidst an ongoing investigation.

And acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe declined comment when he was asked if Trump was given assurances on that matter.

"I will not comment on whether the director and President had that kind of a conversation," McCabe said.

Asked about when the conversations took place, deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters she didn't have exact dates. She added that she didn't believe it was inappropriate for Trump to ask Comey if he was under investigation.

"I don't see that as a conflict of interest and neither to the many legal scholars and others that have been commenting on it for the last hour. So no, I don't see that as an issue, she said.