Former FBI Director James Comey confirmed that he did indeed have a dinner meeting with President Donald Trump in January of this year, but the differing versions of the story are stark. President Trump told his version to lester holt of NBC News during a wide-ranging interview on Thursday. Trump said he had actually asked Comey on three occasions, including one dinner and two phone, and claims to have been told all three times he was not "under investigation." Trump claims that Comey told him that he was not under investigation for colluding with the Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign.

According to an NBC News report, former FBI director James Comey was summoned to the White House "out of the blue." The source added Comey did not want to do it and did not want the FBI rank-and-file to know about it. Trump, for his part, said he "believed" Comey requested the meeting and that during the course of the "dinner meeting" he pleaded for his job.

Trump demanded Comey's 'loyalty' but he refused

The New York Times first reported Trump demanded his "loyalty" which he declined to pledge, but he did tell the president he would be "honest" with him. Trump asked, according to the newspaper, whether that would be "honest loyalty." The newspaper also laid out a timeline of the events leading to the firing, and then the aftermath of the consequences of the firing.

In other news surrounding the firing of the FBI Director, the Senate has summoned deputy United States Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to brief the upper chamber next week. The leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had been pushing for such a meeting, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) obliged.

AG Rothenstein is anxious to save his own reputation, a reputation that was quite good prior to this firing. Senator Schumer has also asked for Attorney General Jeff Sessions but in a separate closed-door meeting and briefing. No word on whether AG Jeff Sessions will appear.

Trump tells a different story than his press office

During the NBC News interview with Lester Holt, Trump took total responsibility for the firing of Comey, and was not driven by either Rothenstein or Sessions, which had previously been the White House message from the press office, including Press Secretary Sean Spicer, and amplified by deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
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