Republicans urge Trump to release Comey tapes — if they exist


On Sunday, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said on CNN's State of the Union that President Trump should come clean on whether or not he has any tapes of private conversations between himself and former FBI Director James Comey, and if so, he should hand them over to Congress, or he could face a subpoena.
"I don't understand why the president just doesn't clear this matter up once and for all," Collins, who is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said members of the committee were pressing the White House on the issue.
On Friday, Republicans and Democrats in the House Intelligence Committee issued a letter demanding any recordings be turned over within two weeks. Such tapes could shape the ongoing investigation into Russia's ties to the White House. Specifically they could shed light on whether or not Trump tried to encourage Comey to drop the investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and his relationships with Russian officials.
Subscribe to 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.
Last month, Trump abruptly fired Comey from his post, and in the following days, issued a tweet in which he threatened him with "tapes" of their conversations. Since then, the Trump administration has not said whether or not tapes actually exist. During his Senate testimony last week, Comey said, "Lordy, I hope there are tapes," adding: "The President surely knows if there are tapes. If there are, my feelings aren't hurt. Release the tapes."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.
-
Zohran Mamdani: the young progressive likely to be New York City's next mayor
In The Spotlight The policies and experience that led to his meteoric rise
-
The best film reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Creativity and imagination are often required to breathe fresh life into old material
-
'More must be done'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders