Trump denies telling Comey to back off Flynn investigation

US President Donald Trump has denied ever asking FBI Director James Comey to back off his agency's investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, and the role played by former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Asked whether he urged Comey to ease up on the Flynn investigation, Trump said at a news conference, "No, no," before ordering the media to move on to the "next question."

Earlier this week there were several news reports that Trump made the request regarding Flynn during a February meeting in the Oval Office ‑ these accounts were based on a memo Comey drafted at the time, the contents of which were described by officials familiar with the memo. Trump fired Comey last week.

At the news conference, the president also reiterated his claim that the US Justice Department's decision to appoint a special counsel to look into possible collusion with Russia was "a witch hunt," saying he had never colluded with the Russians.

Source: stuff.co