Trump’s First Letter Firing Comey Complained He Wouldn’t Say POTUS Wasn’t Under Investigation. And Mueller Has It.

‘The Multi-Page Letter Enumerated Trump’s Long-Simmering Complaints With Comey’

The New York Times is reporting the first termination letter President Donald Trump wanted to send firing Jim Comey but didn’t included Trump’s complaints that Comey refused to publicly state the president was not under investigation. It was not sent to Comey because White House lawyers refused to allow it. The letter, which is now in the hands of special counsel Robert Mueller, was drafted by Trump and his top aide, Stephen Miller.

“The multi-page letter enumerated Trump’s long-simmering complaints with Comey, according to people familiar with it, including Trump’s frustration that Comey was unwilling to say publicly that Trump was not personally under investigation in the FBI’s inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 election,” The Washington Post reports. 

The letter “could now become key evidence for Mueller as he examines whether the Comey firing was part of an effort to obstruct the Russia investigation.”

White House counsel Donald McGahn “believed that some of its contents were problematic,” according to the Times. McGahan was able to prevent Trump from sending that version.

“The contents of the original letter appear to provide the clearest rationale that Mr. Trump had for firing Mr. Comey,” The Times reports. “Mr. Trump told aides at the time he was angry that Mr. Comey refused to publicly say that Mr. Trump himself was not under investigation, something Mr. Comey had told the president privately.” 

Asked by reporters Friday afternoon if they could have a copy of the letter, the White House refused.

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Image by West Point via Flickr and a CC license 

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the Times had obtained a copy of the letter.