Donald Trump claims he 'never asked James Comey to stop investigating Michael Flynn' after guilty plea in Russia probe

Donald Trump says hes never asked James Comey to stop investigating Mr Flynn
AFP/Getty Images
Alexandra Richards3 December 2017

Donald Trump has denied ever asking former FBI Director James Comey to stop investigating former security adviser Michael Flynn.

In a tweet posted on Sunday, the US President wrote: “I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!”

Mr Flynn, is the first member of Trump's administration to plead guilty to a crime uncovered by special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian attempts to influence last year's US presidential election.

Mr Comey, who was fired from his post in May, previously said that Trump asked him in a private Oval Office meeting to consider ending the investigation into Mr Flynn.

The former FBI director has said that he found the encounter so shocking that he prepared an internal memo about it.

The firing of Mr Comey precipitated the appointment of special council Mr Mueller.

Mr Flynn is the fourth person involved in President Trump's campaign who was charged as part of the Mueller probe.

He pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about a conversation he had with Russia's former ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

It is thought the guilty plea could turn Mr Flynn into a potentially key government cooperator after it was reported he has entered into a plea deal with Mr Mueller and has agreed to co-operate in the enquiry.

The plea deal might mean a shorter possible jail term for Mr Flynn than the five years normally reserved for people who make false statements.

According to White House lawyer Ty Cobb, nothing about Mr Flynn's guilty plea implicates "anyone other than Mr Flynn".

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