Sean Spicer repeatedly refuses to definitively deny that Trump is recording White House conversations
On Friday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was repeatedly and directly asked if President Trump is recording conversations in the Oval Office. Each time, Spicer refused to answer.
Earlier Friday, President Trump apparently threatened former FBI Director James Comey, tweeting: "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" Spicer's first question at the press conference was directly related: "Did President Trump record his conversations with former FBI Director Comey?" Reuters' Jeff Mason wanted to know.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Mason continued to press Spicer, but Spicer wasn't budging:
A few minutes later, Time's Zeke Miller returned to the question: "Is [Trump] currently recording conversations taking place in the Oval Office?"
"I think that the point that I made, in respect to the tweet, is the president has no further comment on this," Spicer said, again refusing to take the opportunity to deny the allegation.
The possibility that Trump is taping conversations has sparked widespread alarm. Former President Richard Nixon's lawyer, John Dean, who was charged for obstruction of justice due to his role in Watergate, tweeted Friday: "Obviously President Trump is confused. He is the one who must hope there are no tapes. Honest people do not have problems being taped."
-
5 redundant cartoons about Greg Bovino's walking papersCartoons Artists take on Bovino versus bovine, a new job description, and more
-
31 political cartoons for January 2026Cartoons Editorial cartoonists take on Donald Trump, ICE, the World Economic Forum in Davos, Greenland and more
-
Political cartoons for January 31Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include congressional spin, Obamacare subsidies, and more
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
