Trump v. The Institutions: The Conversations That Shook American Democracy

James Comey, prepared statementThe President called me at lunchtime and invited me to dinner. He said he wanted to know whether I wanted to stay on as FBI Director. Then he said, 'I need loyalty. I expect loyalty.'

ComeyI didn't move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed. I replied that I would always be honest with him. He paused and then said, 'Honest loyalty.' I said, 'You will get that from me.'

Senator Richard BurrHow did you interpret that?

ComeyI interpreted it as an effort to establish a patronage relationship. The FBI Director is not a political appointee. The position has a 10-year term for a reason. I believed the President was asking me to be loyal to him personally, rather than to the Constitution.

ComeyI should have been stronger. I should have said, 'Mr. President, the FBI Director does not pledge loyalty to the President. The FBI Director is loyal to the Constitution.' I didn't. I was weak. I was trying to navigate a very difficult situation.

Comey, prepared statementThe President met with me alone. He said he wanted to talk about Mike Flynn. He said, 'I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy.'

Senator Angus KingDid you take that as a directive?

ComeyYes. I took it as a direction. It was the President of the United States, alone in the Oval Office, telling me to drop an investigation into his former National Security Advisor. I took it as a direction. I immediately documented it in a memo.

KingWhy did you write a memo?

ComeyI was concerned that the President was attempting to influence an ongoing FBI investigation. I wrote the memo immediately after the meeting, in my FBI vehicle outside the White House.

Donald TrumpSo look. All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state. And flipping the state is a great testament to our country because it's a testament that they can admit to a mistake.

Brad RaffenspergerMr. President, the challenge that you have is the data you have is wrong. We've looked at every single allegation. We've conducted a hand recount. The outcome was confirmed three times.

TrumpYou know, Brad, you have a big election coming up. You have a primary. And you have a lot of people that are very angry. It's a big risk to you, I think.

RaffenspergerMr. President, we've been working on this for two months. We've followed the law. We've followed the Constitution. The results are what they are. I'm not going to change them. I can't change them. It would be illegal.

Cassidy HutchinsonMr. Ornato told me that when the President got into the vehicle after the speech at the Ellipse, he was under the impression that he was going to the Capitol. When Bobby Engel told him they were returning to the White House, the President became irate. He reached up to the front of the vehicle to grab the steering wheel. Mr. Engel grabbed his arm and said, 'Sir, you need to take your hand off the steering wheel. We're going back to the West Wing.'

HutchinsonThe President said, 'I'm the f---ing President. Take me up to the Capitol now.'

Liz CheneyWas Mr. Meadows present when Mr. Ornato told you this?

HutchinsonMr. Meadows was in the room. He was standing by the window. He didn't contradict any of it. He didn't say anything. He just stood there.

HutchinsonMr. Cipollone came into Mr. Meadows' office. He said, 'Mark, we need to do something more. They're literally calling for the Vice President to be f---ing hung.' Mr. Meadows said, 'You heard him, Pat. He thinks Mike deserves it. He doesn't think they're doing anything wrong.'

Jeff SessionsThe Deputy Attorney General has appointed a special counsel. Robert Mueller. He's a former FBI Director. The appointment is effective immediately.

Donald TrumpOh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked. Everyone tells me I should fire Mueller. I should fire him. This is a witch hunt.

Don McGahn, in his interviewThe President told me to call Rod Rosenstein and tell him to fire Mueller. I told him I would not do it. I decided to resign. I packed up my things. I told Reince Priebus I was leaving. He told me to stay. I stayed. But I was prepared to leave. I was not going to fire the special counsel.

Mueller ReportIf we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not make a determination as to whether the President did commit a crime. The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing.