President Trump said in an NBC interview that he had intended to fire FBI head Comey even before it was recommended to him by the Deputy Attorney General. He also revealed that he had asked Comey whether he was under investigation for his ties with Russia.
"I actually asked him" if I were under investigation, Trump said, noting that he spoke with Comey once over dinner and twice by phone.
"I said, if it's possible would you let me know, 'Am I under investigation?' He said, 'You are not under investigation.'"
Trump also insisted there was no "collusion between me and my campaign and the Russians."
"Also, the Russians did not affect the vote," he said.
The president also reiterated his claim that he had been planning to fire Comey even before he received Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's recommendation to do so.