--- title: Jay Sekulow Claims Without Evidence That Interview Doctored description: President Donald Trump's attorney Jay Sekulow has claimed, without evidence, that a key TV interview on the Russia probe was doctored. canonical: https://time.com/5401931/jay-sekulow-donald-trump-interview/ author: Tessa Berenson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-09-20T15:07:42.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-13T07:54:53.810Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump Claimed, Without Evidence, That a Key Interview Was Doctored og:description: Now his lawyer is claiming it too. og:url: https://time.com/5401931/jay-sekulow-donald-trump-interview/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6c253ed38a342902/69893a62bc6cfc03f63e6f5b/gettyimages-1032340378-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: President Trump Attends Congressional Medal Of Honor Society Reception og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Claimed, Without Evidence, That a Key Interview Was Doctored twitter:description: Now his lawyer is claiming it too. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6c253ed38a342902/69893a62bc6cfc03f63e6f5b/gettyimages-1032340378-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Donald Trump Claimed, Without Evidence, That a Key Interview Was Doctored. Now His Lawyer Is Claiming That Too > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=f69c2d62-a9b8-4e9b-a03e-5d862e0c0cd7&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Trump Staffers Are Picking Up His Speaking Habits [Watch (HLS stream): Trump Staffers Are Picking Up His Speaking Habits](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/xRGLRnsv.m3u8) (3:08)  _Published 2018-09-20. Trump Staffers Are Picking Up His Speaking Habits_  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Sep 20, 2018 3:07 PM UTC  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Sep 20, 2018 3:07 PM UTC In a 2017 interview, President Donald Trump said in an interview that one of his reasons for firing FBI Director James Comey was the investigation into Russian meddling in the election. “In fact when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story,” Trump [told NBC’s Lester Holt](https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/05/11/president%5Ftrumps%5Ffull%5Finterview%5Fwith%5Flester%5Fholt.html?mobile%5Fredirect=true) in May of last year. Now, Trump’s attorney Jay Sekulow has claimed, without evidence, that the interview was doctored. “You know that when there are interviews, there are edits and there is a longer transcript, and I will just tell you without disclosing any detail that when you review the entire transcript, it is very clear as to what happened,” Sekulow [told CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/20/politics/jay-sekulow-lester-holt-james-comey-cnntv/index.html) on Wednesday. An [extended version of the interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wvuw%5FZmubg) is available from NBC on YouTube. The claim echoes [one that Trump](https://apnews.com/db90fe2d11b0499b87cc0e5c22e52251) himself made, also without evidence, when he tweeted in August that NBC had been “fudging my tape on Russia.” > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1035120511259500544) Some lawyers have suggested that Trump’s citing of “the Russia thing” in the 2017 interview could serve as part of an obstruction of justice case by Special Counsel Robert Mueller against the president, since he’s essentially admitting that he was trying to stop an investigation into himself. But White House officials have said that Trump fired Comey because of his handling of the Hillary Clinton investigation and morale at the FBI, not the Russia investigation. Sekulow also said that the White House did not believe it would be “constitutional” for Mueller to use the NBC interview in a federal case. “I’m not faulting anybody running a clip … but to turn it literally into a federal case we don’t think is right, we don’t think it’s constitutional and we think the entire transcript, without question, supports the President,” Sekulow said. “I’m not going to give you information on how we provided it, but in our professional discussions with the Office of Special Counsel, we have addressed that on multiple occasions appropriately.” ## Transcript I just say what I say and I say what I say because it's common sense. Donald Trump talks like no one else in politics. At least he used to. Since he became president Trump's speaking patterns have become increasingly common among the people around him. Whether that's because he hired people like him or they picked up his habits, the end result is that the white house feels Trumpier than ever. Here's a look at some of the tics he's spread . >> Hillary . >> Trump is obsessed with stamina, he brags about his own . >> Let's talk about stamina. You've used that word a lot . >> I feel as good today as I did when I was 30. [ MUSIC ] And he puts down his opponents for not having it . >> Jeb Bush is a low Energy person. He was supposed to win, and he just doesn't have the energy. She doesn't have the looks, she doesn't have the stamina. She has less energy than Jeb Bush. So when White House physician Ronny Jackson spoke to the press about the president's health. It was only natural that stamina came up. And I'll tell you, out of everybody there, the president had more stamina and more energy that just about anybody there. Trump also likes to claim that he's the only president who's done something, or that he's the best at it. With the exception of the late, great Abraham Lincoln, I can be more presidential than any president that's ever held this office. Orrin is [ APPLAUSE ] I love listening to him speak. He said once, I am the single greatest president in his liftetime. And he actually once said I'm the greatest prsident in the history of our country and I said, 'Does that include Linclon and Washgington?' He said yes. Now, his staffers and even a Supreme Court monimee Are doing it too. This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period. Both in person and around the globe. President Trump's the most gifted politician of our time and he's the best orator to hold that office in generations. No president has ever consulted more widely Or talked with more people from more background to seek input about a Supreme Court nomination. And Trump loves to bash reporters, calling them fake news and the enemy of the people. And criticizing them personally. They did the most beautiful story about what a lie it was from NBC. She's back there Little Katy. What a lie, Katy Tur. Do you have a message about health care? [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Thank you. [ INAUDIBLE ] They don't care about breaking codes. We are fighting the fake news. They are the enemy of the people. Now, members of his Administation have adopted that rhetorical tactic too. Yes sir. Real quick question. Well, two actually. Yeah, I knew it would be. See, our gentleman over here is the only one that had an honest assessment. That's now what I said and I know it's hard for you to understand even short sentences, I guess, but please don't take my words out of context. Jeff, and I'll take your question since you and your network falsely accused me of not wanting to be here. Donald Trump may be one of a kin d, but his rhetoric increasingly isn't. Information that was false and fake and never happened. 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