Trump threatens to cancel briefings for 'sake of accuracy'
- by Apollonia Musarra
- in World Media
- — May 16, 2017
Speaking to Lester Holt on NBC News on Thursday Trump gave a different account to that of his team.
He questioned whether his administration should cancel all future press briefings and, instead, replace them with written responses to questions, "for the sake of accuracy".
Earlier Friday, Trump reiterated his view that reports about collusion with the Russian government by members of his 2016 campaign are "fabricated".
Trump fired Comey on Tuesday, and the president said in an NBC News exclusive interview on Thursday that he had been planning to do so regardless of what the Department of Justice recommended.
"The problem with the president is that he spent a career flouting laws, norms and the truth", Axelrod said.
"As a very active President with lots of things happening, it is not possible for my surrogates to stand at podium with flawless accuracy!" the president tweeted.
Former FBI Director James Comey was leading an investigation examining the possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian Federation.
A few hearings later, Trump insists it's time for the press to move on from the "fake" collusion story.
In an extraordinary tweet, even by Trump's standards, the president wrote: "James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!"
Another controversial point from the interview centered around Trump's comments to NBC that he has asked Comey directly whether he was under investigation, during a dinner during which Trump said Comey had asked to stay on as FBI director.
In the letter firing James Comey, President Trump "thanked" the former FBI Director for assuring him - "three times" - that he was not under investigation.
Sanders faced backlash from the press Thursday during her briefing. Trump claims he asked directly the former Director of the FBI whether he is under investigation to which he categorically replied: "you are not under investigation".
The White House spokesperson was further pressed on Trump's tweets about the fired Federal Bureau of Investigation boss.
President Trump also recalled that he made his decision on the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein.
"That's frankly offensive", Spicer said.