The Friday afternoon news drop from the New York Times reveals that Donald Trump told Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov and the Russian ambassador to the U.S,, Sergey Kislyak, that firing FBI Director James Comey had eased the pressure on him:
“I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job,” Mr. Trump said, according to the document, which was read to The New York Times by an American official. “I faced great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off.”
Mr. Trump added, “I'm not under investigation.”
The conversation, during a May 10 meeting — the day after he fired Mr. Comey — reinforces the notion that Mr. Trump dismissed him primarily because of the bureau's investigation into possible collusion between his campaign and Russian operatives. Mr. Trump said as much in one televised interview, but the White House has offered changing justifications for the firing.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer did not deny the account.