The White House broke its silence on James Comey’s testimony Thursday to defend President Trump’s truthfulness, but couldn’t offer certitude about the potential existence of a secret taping system in the Oval Office.
With the must-see testimony filling television screens across the country and throughout the West Wing, the Administration decided to outsource its response to the Republican National Committee and Trump’s outside counsel, Marc Kasowitz. But White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders pushed back on the several times Comey asserted that the president had lied.
“No, I can definitively say the president is not a liar,” Sanders said during an off-camera briefing. “It’s frankly insulting that that question would be asked.”
Comey testified that Trump’s spin that he was fired because of reduced morale and turmoil at the bureau amounted to “lies, plain and simple.” He also testified that Trump had initiated all conversations with him, but Trump has previously stated publicly that Comey had called him about his job security. Sanders could not explain the discrepancy.
“I’m not aware of the ins-and-outs of those interactions,” Sanders said.
Asked if Trump, whose tweet about the potential existence of secret White House tapes motivated Comey to leak his memos about his private conversations with the president, maintains a taping system in the Oval Office, Sanders replied, “I have no idea.”
When pressed by reporters for a more definitive answer, she answered, “Sure, I’ll try to look under the couches.”
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