Americans are much more likely to believe former FBI Director James Comey over President Donald Trump in accounts of Comey’s firing, according to a new poll.
The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that Americans believe Comey by a 2-to-1 margin: 45 percent of respondents trusted Comey’s version of events in his June 8 sworn testimony, versus 22 percent who believed Trump’s accounts. About 21 percent said they don’t believe either of them.
The numbers break down by political party with more Democrats believing Comey and more Republicans believing Trump. But Independents also believe Comey, 47 percent to 17 percent.
Trump fired Comey in May and has offered shifting explanations for the ouster, including suggesting it had to do with the FBI’s investigation into Trump campaign associates’ dealings with Russia. During his testimony, Comey said Trump had asked him for “loyalty” in his position as the head of the FBI.
The poll questioned 900 adults from June 17-20 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
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