REPORT: Trump Asked Top US Intelligence Director to Intervene With Comey to End FBI Russia Investigation

‘Trump Aimed to Enlist Top Officials to Have Comey Curtail the Bureau’s Probe’

President Donald Trump asked Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats to intervene with Jim Comey to convince the FBI Director to end the Bureau’s investigation into Mike Flynn’s ties to Russia, the Washington Post reports in a bombshell report out Tuesday night.

The allegation mirrors that made by the now-fired former FBI Director himself, that the President of the United States attempted to intervene in an ongoing investigation on behalf of one of his top advisors. Comey detailed Trump’s attempts in a memo.

The Washington Post reports that back in March, “less than a week after being confirmed by the Senate, Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats attended a briefing at the White House together with officials from several government agencies. As the briefing was wrapping up, Trump asked everyone to leave the room except for Coats and CIA Director Mike Pompeo.”

According to the Post’s report, President Trump “then started complaining about the FBI investigation” into Mike Flynn and Russia’s intervention into the U.S. election, “and Comey’s handling of it.”

“Two days earlier, Comey had confirmed in a congressional hearing that the bureau was probing whether Trump’s campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 race.”

Key to the Post’s reporting is this:

“The events involving Coats show the president went further than just asking intelligence officials to deny publicly the existence of any evidence showing collusion during the 2016 election, as The Washington Post reported in May. The interaction with Coats indicates that Trump aimed to enlist top officials to have Comey curtail the bureau’s probe.”

Some would call that an attempt to obstruct justice.

Politico cybersecurity reporter Eric Geller notes:

Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who Trump fired after promising he could say on in his administration, moments ago posted this tweet in response to the Washington Post report:

Director Coats is testifying before the Senate on Wednesday.

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