President Donald Trump said he would testify under oath during a Friday afternoon press conference after accusing former FBI Director James Comey of lying under oath.
When asked if he would testify under oath just as Comey did on Thursday—where he spoke about several instances where he felt uncomfortable interacting with the president—Trump said he would be willing to do so.
“One hundred percent,” Trump said.
Trump also denied telling Comey to “let go” the FBI’s investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn before implying that Comey lied before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
A reporter directly asked Trump if he was saying Comey lied. Trump responded: “Well, I didn’t say that. I will tell you, I didn’t say that,” Trump said.
Trump continued by saying he did not ask Comey to pledge loyalty to him, as Comey testified on Thursday.
“I hardly know the man; I’m not going to say I want you to pledge allegiance—who would do that?” Trump said. “Who would ask a man to pledge allegiance under oath?”
Trump also said he would soon speak about the existence of recordings between himself and Comey in a “fairly short period of time,” before telling the press they were going to be “very disappointed” by the answer. Trump vaguely threatened Comey with “tapes” after he fired the former FBI director last month.
The big exchange from Trump’s joint press conference — says he would testify under oath: pic.twitter.com/bI3FWGWBJQ
— Axios (@axios) June 9, 2017
Soon after Trump’s press conference, the House Intelligence Committee, which is currently investigating Russia’s attempts to meddle in the 2016 election, for any existing tapes the president has of his conversations with Comey.
The House Intel committee is asking the @WhiteHouse to turn over any Comey recordings “to the extent they exist now.” pic.twitter.com/zpsfVuOUDa
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) June 9, 2017
Trump remained uncharacteristically silent on social media during Comey’s testimony before speaking up on Friday morning in a tweet where he said he felt “vindication” after hearing the former FBI director speak. Trump also accused him of saying “so many false statements and lies” during his testimony.
If Trump does eventually testify under oath, he would be pleasing several Democrats who called for him to do so following Comey’s testimony.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in a statement that if Trump disagrees with Comey’s sworn testimony, he should offer his side of things under oath.
“If the White House’s account differs from what we heard today, the American people deserve to hear the president’s side of the story in a similar forum—under oath and open to the press,” he said in the statement.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), reacting to Trump’s Friday morning tweet, echoed Murphy.
“More hot air from someone who has had an estranged relationship with the truth,” he tweeted. “Mr. President, will you testify under oath like Comey?”
But getting Trump under oath may not get the results people might be hoping for, as Trump has a history of invoking the Fifth Amendment, which protects citizens’ rights against self-incrimination. During five depositions as part of his divorce from his first wife, Ivana, Trump pleaded the Fifth 97 times, according to HuffPost.
