Group items tagged

Trump walks back sanctions against Russia, contradicting Nikki Haley

President Trump is walking back plans to impose new economic sanctions against Russia announced Sunday by U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. The planned sanctions were an attempt to punish Russia for its support of Syrian President Bashar Assad after a chemical weapons attack earlier this month. {"1222314563954":{"mpxId":"1222314563954","canonical_url":"https://www.today.com/video/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","canonicalUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","legacy_url":"https://www.today.com/video/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","playerUrl":"https://www.today.com/offsite/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","ampPlayerUrl":"https://player.today.com/offsite/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","relatedLink":"","sentiment":"Positive","shortUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","description":"Daughter of former New York Gov. George Pataki, Allison Pataki details how her life was changed by her husband’s stroke in her new memoir, “Beauty in the Broken Places.” TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager reports.","title":"How author Allison Pataki’s life was changed by her husband’s stroke","thumbnail":"https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/201804/tdy_health_jenna_stroke_180430_1920x1080.today-vid-rail.jpg","socialTitle":"How author Allison Pataki’s life was changed by her husband’s stroke","seoHeadline":"How author Allison Pataki’s life was changed by her husband’s stroke","guid":"tdy_health_jenna_stroke_180430","newsNetwork":"TODAY.com","videoType":"Broadcast","isSponsored":false,"nativeAd":false,"autoPlay":false,"mezzVersion":1,"embedCode":"%3Cdiv%20style=%22position:relative;%20padding-bottom:63%25;%20padding-bottom:-webkit-calc(56.25%25%20+%2050px);%20padding-bottom:calc(56.25%25%20+%2050px);%20height:%200;%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3Ciframe%20style=%22position:absolute;%20width:%20100%25;%20height:%20100%25;%22%0A%20%20%20%20src=%22https://www.today.com/offsite/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E%0A%20%20%3C/div%3E","duration":274,"pub_date":"2018-04-30T12:44:10.000+0000","pub_date_user_facing":"April 30th, 2018","videoAssets":[{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/9Fe_exuRq8lR?MBR=TRUE","width":480,"height":270,"bitrate":479977,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/0o5tr_475iWV?MBR=TRUE","width":480,"height":270,"bitrate":275203,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/A1cxTcUOSiuY?MBR=TRUE","width":960,"height":540,"bitrate":1743277,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/eUyW5b5tJxFe?MBR=TRUE","width":1280,"height":720,"bitrate":3380893,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/s_DndGGU_0hw?MBR=TRUE","width":640,"height":360,"bitrate":926383,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/_m4OXAdtuKaF?MBR=TRUE","width":1920,"height":1080,"bitrate":4680830,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"}],"captionLinks":{"srt":"https://nbcnewsdigital-static.nbcuni.com/media/captions/NBC_News/379/7/1525092363215_tdy_health_jenna_stroke_180430.srt"},"requiresCaptioning":false,"hasCaptions":true,"hasTranscript":false,"transcript":"","availabilityState":"available"},"1222337091916":{"mpxId":"1222337091916","canonical_url":"https://www.today.com/video/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","canonicalUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","legacy_url":"https://www.today.com/video/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","playerUrl":"https://www.today.com/offsite/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","ampPlayerUrl":"https://player.today.com/offsite/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","relatedLink":"","sentiment":"Neutral","shortUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","description":"Almost five years after her escape from the Cleveland home of Ariel Castro, who held her and two others captive for over a decade, Michelle Knight (now known as Lily Rose Lee) joins Megyn Kelly TODAY to talk about her ordeal and her new memoir, “Life After Darkness.” She talks about her recent marriage and her prospects for having a child.","title":"Cleveland kidnapping survivor Michelle Knight talks about new life, marriage","thumbnail":"https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/201804/tdy_mk_news_michelle_knight_180430.today-vid-rail.jpg","socialTitle":"Cleveland kidnapping survivor Michelle Knight talks about new life, marriage","seoHeadline":"Cleveland kidnapping survivor Michelle Knight talks about new life, marriage","guid":"tdy_mk_news_michelle_knight_180430","newsNetwork":"TODAY.com","videoType":"Broadcast","isSponsored":false,"nativeAd":false,"autoPlay":false,"mezzVersion":1,"embedCode":"%3Cdiv%20style=%22position:relative;%20padding-bottom:63%25;%20padding-bottom:-webkit-calc(56.25%25%20+%2050px);%20padding-bottom:calc(56.25%25%20+%2050px);%20height:%200;%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3Ciframe%20style=%22position:absolute;%20width:%20100%25;%20height:%20100%25;%22%0A%20%20%20%20src=%22https://www.today.com/offsite/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E%0A%20%20%3C/div%3E","duration":736,"pub_date":"2018-04-30T13:44:06.000+0000","pub_date_user_facing":"April 30th, 2018","videoAssets":[{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/7Cg3OcsCGFMA?mbr=true","width":480,"height":270,"bitrate":463000,"duration":736,"durationISO":"PT12M16S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/DzFb7_cYHbym?mbr=true","width":480,"height":270,"bitrate":264000,"duration":736,"durationISO":"PT12M16S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/Ee0U4H3Jsue7?mbr=true","width":1280,"height":720,"bitrate":3295000,"duration":736,"durationISO":"PT12M16S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/mlJNTUu_C1Oh?mbr=true","width":960,"height":540,"bitrate":1695000,"duration":736,"durationISO":"PT12M16S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/woRtUPPoe7Vn?mbr=true","width":640,"height":360,"bitrate":895000,"duration":736,"du

Amid the historic developments formally ending the Korean War, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has promised to close down a nuclear test site in May. NBC’s Keir Simmons reports for TODAY from London. {"1222314563954":{"mpxId":"1222314563954","canonical_url":"https://www.today.com/video/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","canonicalUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","legacy_url":"https://www.today.com/video/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","playerUrl":"https://www.today.com/offsite/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","ampPlayerUrl":"https://player.today.com/offsite/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","relatedLink":"","sentiment":"Positive","shortUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954","description":"Daughter of former New York Gov. George Pataki, Allison Pataki details how her life was changed by her husband’s stroke in her new memoir, “Beauty in the Broken Places.” TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager reports.","title":"How author Allison Pataki’s life was changed by her husband’s stroke","thumbnail":"https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/201804/tdy_health_jenna_stroke_180430_1920x1080.today-vid-rail.jpg","socialTitle":"How author Allison Pataki’s life was changed by her husband’s stroke","seoHeadline":"How author Allison Pataki’s life was changed by her husband’s stroke","guid":"tdy_health_jenna_stroke_180430","newsNetwork":"TODAY.com","videoType":"Broadcast","isSponsored":false,"nativeAd":false,"autoPlay":false,"mezzVersion":1,"embedCode":"%3Cdiv%20style=%22position:relative;%20padding-bottom:63%25;%20padding-bottom:-webkit-calc(56.25%25%20+%2050px);%20padding-bottom:calc(56.25%25%20+%2050px);%20height:%200;%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3Ciframe%20style=%22position:absolute;%20width:%20100%25;%20height:%20100%25;%22%0A%20%20%20%20src=%22https://www.today.com/offsite/how-author-allison-pataki-s-life-was-changed-by-her-husband-s-stroke-1222314563954%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E%0A%20%20%3C/div%3E","duration":274,"pub_date":"2018-04-30T12:44:10.000+0000","pub_date_user_facing":"April 30th, 2018","videoAssets":[{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/9Fe_exuRq8lR?MBR=TRUE","width":480,"height":270,"bitrate":479977,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/0o5tr_475iWV?MBR=TRUE","width":480,"height":270,"bitrate":275203,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/A1cxTcUOSiuY?MBR=TRUE","width":960,"height":540,"bitrate":1743277,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/eUyW5b5tJxFe?MBR=TRUE","width":1280,"height":720,"bitrate":3380893,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/s_DndGGU_0hw?MBR=TRUE","width":640,"height":360,"bitrate":926383,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/_m4OXAdtuKaF?MBR=TRUE","width":1920,"height":1080,"bitrate":4680830,"duration":274,"durationISO":"PT4M33.34S","assetType":"Akamai Video"}],"captionLinks":{"srt":"https://nbcnewsdigital-static.nbcuni.com/media/captions/NBC_News/379/7/1525092363215_tdy_health_jenna_stroke_180430.srt"},"requiresCaptioning":false,"hasCaptions":true,"hasTranscript":false,"transcript":"","availabilityState":"available"},"1222337091916":{"mpxId":"1222337091916","canonical_url":"https://www.today.com/video/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","canonicalUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","legacy_url":"https://www.today.com/video/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","playerUrl":"https://www.today.com/offsite/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","ampPlayerUrl":"https://player.today.com/offsite/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","relatedLink":"","sentiment":"Neutral","shortUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916","description":"Almost five years after her escape from the Cleveland home of Ariel Castro, who held her and two others captive for over a decade, Michelle Knight (now known as Lily Rose Lee) joins Megyn Kelly TODAY to talk about her ordeal and her new memoir, “Life After Darkness.” She talks about her recent marriage and her prospects for having a child.","title":"Cleveland kidnapping survivor Michelle Knight talks about new life, marriage","thumbnail":"https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/201804/tdy_mk_news_michelle_knight_180430.today-vid-rail.jpg","socialTitle":"Cleveland kidnapping survivor Michelle Knight talks about new life, marriage","seoHeadline":"Cleveland kidnapping survivor Michelle Knight talks about new life, marriage","guid":"tdy_mk_news_michelle_knight_180430","newsNetwork":"TODAY.com","videoType":"Broadcast","isSponsored":false,"nativeAd":false,"autoPlay":false,"mezzVersion":1,"embedCode":"%3Cdiv%20style=%22position:relative;%20padding-bottom:63%25;%20padding-bottom:-webkit-calc(56.25%25%20+%2050px);%20padding-bottom:calc(56.25%25%20+%2050px);%20height:%200;%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3Ciframe%20style=%22position:absolute;%20width:%20100%25;%20height:%20100%25;%22%0A%20%20%20%20src=%22https://www.today.com/offsite/cleveland-kidnapping-survivor-michelle-knight-talks-about-new-life-marriage-1222337091916%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E%0A%20%20%3C/div%3E","duration":736,"pub_date":"2018-04-30T13:44:06.000+0000","pub_date_user_facing":"April 30th, 2018","videoAssets":[{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/7Cg3OcsCGFMA?mbr=true","width":480,"height":270,"bitrate":463000,"duration":736,"durationISO":"PT12M16S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/DzFb7_cYHbym?mbr=true","width":480,"height":270,"bitrate":264000,"duration":736,"durationISO":"PT12M16S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/Ee0U4H3Jsue7?mbr=true","width":1280,"height":720,"bitrate":3295000,"duration":736,"durationISO":"PT12M16S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/mlJNTUu_C1Oh?mbr=true","width":960,"height":540,"bitrate":1695000,"duration":736,"durationISO":"PT12M16S","assetType":"Akamai Video"},{"format":"MPEG4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/woRtUPPoe7Vn?mbr=true","width":640,"height":360,"bitrate":895000,"duration":736,"durationISO":"PT12M16S","assetType":"Akamai Video"}],"captionLinks":{},"requiresCaption

WASHINGTON ― When it comes to President Donald Trump and Russian interference in the election, the issue is the cover-up, not the crime. That’s the takeaway from former FBI Director James Comey’s dramatic testimony before Congress on Thursday

By firing Comey, Trump created a powerful enemy no longer entirely constrained by the traditions of the FBI or the desire to keep his job. Compounding their error, the Trump administration and the president himself angered Comey with what Comey called their “shifting explanations” for his firing that left him “confused” and “concerned.”

The American people should have full confidence in Mueller, who preceded Comey as head of the FBI, Comey said Thursday. Mueller, he said, is a straight shooter who will “turn over all the rocks” in the course of the investigation. Comey added that Mueller would never have agreed to become special counsel last month “if he wasn’t going to get full independence.”

still debating whether the letter cost Mrs. Clinton the presidency. It’s certainly possible. But I am not at all sure, in part because of the final Upshot/Siena College poll in Florida.

But it’s now clear that Mrs. Clinton was weaker heading into Oct. 28 than was understood at the time

showed Mr. Trump gaining quickly on Mrs. Clinton in the days ahead of the Comey letter

Ryan Defends Trump: He’s ‘Just New to This’

House Speaker Paul Ryan excused President Donald Trump's request that then-FBI Director James Comey let up on the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn's connections to Russia, saying the president was inexperienced, not trying to impede an investigation. RELATED CONTENT Comey: White House 'Chose to Defame Me' [RELATED: Comey: White House 'Chose to Defame Me'] "As far as the conversations and all that, I'm not going to speculate on any of this, I would just add that of course there needs to be a degree of independence between the DOJ, FBI and the White House and lines of communications established," Ryan told reporters on Thursday, as Comey's testimony continued across on the other side of Capitol Hill.

There are good reasons to be wary of impeachment talk.

Congressional Republicans show zero interest, and they’re the ones in charge.

Democrats, for their part, need to focus on retaking Congress, and railing about impeachment probably won’t help them win votes.

On May 12, just three days after he fired James Comey as the FBI director, President Donald Trump tweeted this: "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!"

And, like many of Trump's tweets, it produced a chain reaction of events that backfired on Trump.

Comey said Thursday that Trump asked him directly for his loyalty and implied strongly that his job might well depend on it. Trump, via his lawyer Marc Kasowitz, insisted that never happened. Comey said under oath on Thursday that Trump made clear to him he'd like the federal investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn to end. Trump has flatly

So is Donald Trump secretly recording conversations or not?

On May 12, just three days after he fired James Comey as the FBI director, President Donald Trump tweeted this: "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!"Like many of Trump's tweets, this one immediately came to dominate the political conversation. Did he actually have a secret recording system in the White House? If not, why say it? And, like many of Trump's tweets, it produced a chain reaction of events that backfired on Trump. The threat -- I guess that's the best way to describe what Trump did -- of the existence of recordings spurred Comey to pass along memos he had written detailing his conversations with Trump to a friend, with the express goal of them being leaked and, hopefully, triggering a special counsel to be appointed.

Trump: I would speak under oath on Comey

US President Donald Trump says he is "100%" willing to speak under oath about his conversations with ex-FBI chief James Comey.Speaking at the White House, he denied having asked for Mr Comey's loyalty or for an inquiry into his former national security adviser to be dropped."James Comey confirmed a lot of what I said, and some of the things he said just weren't true," Mr Trump said.

"One hundred per cent," Mr Trump said.

Comey Testimony a Prism for Viewing American Politics

n bars, V.F.W. halls, offices and living rooms, Americans were riveted by the testimony of James B. Comey, the former F.B.I. director, before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, a moment of high drama about the conduct of President Trump, the workings of American democracy and the threats of Russian involvement in the presidential election

“He’s causing his own demise,” said Chad Cunningham, 45, an Air Force veteran who has voted for Republicans and Democrats but sat out the last presidential election. “He’s not doing anything for this country except embarrassing us.”

The day before the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, sent a letter to Congress announcing that new evidence had been discovered that may be related to the completed Hillary Clinton email investigation, the Justice Department strongly discouraged the step and told him that he would be breaking with longstanding policy, three law enforcement officials said on Saturday.

Senior Justice Department officials did not move to stop him from sending the letter, officials said, but they did everything short of it, pointing to policies against talking about current criminal investigations or being seen as meddling in elections.

Justice Department officials were particularly puzzled about why Mr. Comey had alerted Congress — and by extension, the public — before agents even began reading the newly discovered emails to determine whether they contained classified information or added new facts to the case.

The FBI has announced that it is investigating newly discovered messages related to Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. According to The New York Times, these emails were found in the course of the agency’s investigation of the former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner and the longtime Clinton aide Huma Abedin.  

It’s possible Comey was partly motivated by fear. When he chose not to prosecute Clinton for her use of a private email server, he was brought before Congress to defend his decision; a hearing at the House Judiciary Committee in September lasted nearly four hours

“Comey and the FBI are in a terrible position here, one in which they would be accused of playing politics whatever they ended up doing.”

The former acting F.B.I. director, Andrew G. McCabe, wrote a confidential memo last spring recounting a conversation that offered significant behind-the-scenes details on the firing of Mr. McCabe’s predecessor, James B. Comey, according to several people familiar with the discussion.

Mr. Comey’s firing is a central focus of the special counsel’s investigation into whether President Trump tried to obstruct the investigation into his campaign’s ties to Russia. Mr. McCabe has turned over his memo to the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III.

In the document, whose contents have not been previously reported, Mr. McCabe described a conversation at the Justice Department with the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, in the chaotic days last May after Mr. Comey’s abrupt firing.

Mueller Seeks White House Documents Related to Trump’s Actions as President

Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, has asked the White House for documents about some of President Trump’s most scrutinized actions since taking office, including the firing of his national security adviser and F.B.I. director, according to White House officials.

Mr. Mueller is also interested in an Oval Office meeting Mr. Trump had with Russian officials in which he said the dismissal of the F.B.I. director had relieved “great pressure” on him.

Trump's lawyer to file complaint against Comey over memos

President Donald Trump's legal team, in the wake of damning testimony from James Comey, plans to file a complaint against the former FBI director with the Justice Department Inspector General and the Senate judiciary committee early next week, two sources with knowledge of the situation told CNN.The Justice Department, however, has limited jurisdiction over former employees. They can investigate but the remedy in the event of finding wrongdoing would be to make a note in Comey's file should he ever seek to be employed by the Justice Department again.

Is Trump closer to obstruction of justice?

James Comey may not have added much new detail in testimony on Thursday about his one-to-one meetings with Donald Trump but he did add something: he set the scene, and law professors say that could be a missing piece in an obstruction of justice case against the president.

We knew that already - Mr Comey made details of the meeting public several weeks ago - and Committee Republicans sought on Thursday to paint it as an innocent exchange: "I hope" was not an instruction, they said.

Comey offers an arresting metaphor: the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the former Soviet Union. The US has always had a “radioactive stew” of violence, he suggests, but in recent decades it has been largely kept inside a containment building (the law) and tamed by control rods (cultural expectations, such as use of the N-word becoming taboo).

“What Donald Trump has done for the last five years is attack the building from the outside to weaken its foundation,” says Comey. “He’s withdrawn the control rods, and that’s a recipe for a nuclear disaster, a radioactive release. That’s what you saw on Capitol Hill, our own Chernobyl, when the ugly radioactive violence and racism of America explodes in public view.”

“The Republican party needs to be burned down or changed,” Comey says. “Something is shifting and I’m hoping it’s the fault breaking apart, a break between the Trumpists and those people who want to try and build a responsible conservative party, because everybody should know that we need one. Who would want to be part of an organisation that at its core is built on lies and racism and know-nothingism? It’s just not a healthy political organisation.”

In the closing days of the campaign though, the two most important stories about the Clinton and Trump investigations were ones that solely worked to the eventual winner’s advantage.

On Halloween 2016, the New York Times detailed what was known about the investigation into Russian interference (an effort addressed earlier that month in an unusual public statement from the government). The headline, though, summarized the good news for Trump’s effort: “Investigating Donald Trump, F.B.I. Sees No Clear Link to Russia.”

The other important story seemed, at the time, much bigger. A few days before the article above, former FBI director James B. Comey revealed that the FBI was looking at emails involving Clinton found on former New York representative Anthony Weiner’s laptop. A few days later, Comey announced that his initial evaluation of Clinton’s behavior remained unchanged even with the new evidence — but the damage was done. The announcement is often cited as the difference-maker in the close election results.

Comey: Trump Administration 'Chose to Defame Me'

Fired FBI Director James Comey said Thursday the Trump administration lied and "chose to defame" him in explaining his ouster last month. "Although the law required no reason at all to fire an FBI director, the administration then chose to defame me and more importantly the FBI by saying that the organization was in disarray, that it was poorly led, that the workforce had lost confidence in its leader," Comey said in opening remarks to members of the Senate intelligence committee. "Those were lies, plain and simple."

Trump Accuses Comey of Lying to Congress

President Donald Trump tweeted Friday morning that James Comey's testimony gave him "total and complete vindication," and he accused the former FBI director of lying under oath. "Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication," he tweeted. "..and WOW, Comey is a leaker!"

But Kasowitz simultaneously cheered Comey's confirmation that he had told Trump that Trump was not personally under investigation by the FBI and said his testimony "makes clear that the president never sought to impede the investigation into attempted Russian interference in the 2016 election."

Trump: Answer About Comey Tapes Coming ‘In the Very Near Future’

President Donald Trump on Friday said he would soon reveal whether recordings of his conversations with former FBI Director James Comey existed, leveraging his skills as a showman to heighten anticipation on one of Washington's most burning questions. "Well, I'll tell you about that maybe sometime in the very near future," Trump said in response to a reporter's question during a White House press conference with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. Asked later by another reporter whether he was hinting at the existence of such tapes, which he suggested in a tweet last month he might possess, Trump was again cagey.

"No collusion, no obstruction," Trump said, adding of Comey, "he's a leaker." "Yesterday showed no collusion, no obstructions – we are doing really well," he said, again blaming his political opponents for ginning up a non-existent scandal to distract from their electoral failures. "That was an excuse by the Democrats who lost an election that some people think they shouldn't have lost," he said.