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Donald Trump admits he did not tape Comey conversations

Donald Trump was one of the few billionaires to lose significant wealth.

Donald Trump was one of the few billionaires to lose significant wealth. Photo: Getty

President Donald Trump has ended weeks of speculation with the startling admission that he did not record his private meetings with deposed FBI director James Comey.

The revelation, announced by the President via Twitter on Friday morning (AEST) seemingly contradicts Mr Trump’s previous veiled warning that tapes existed of the Oval Office discussions.

“With all of the recently reported electronic surveillance, intercepts, unmasking and illegal leaking of information, I have no idea whether there are ‘tapes’ or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings,” President Trump tweeted.

The statement came a day before the deadline the President had agreed to with the Senate to reveal whether he recorded conversations held in the Oval Office with Mr Comey, who he fired last month.

While President Trump’s tweets appear to leave the door open for the possibility that recordings were made without its knowledge, all indications signal no there is White House recording system, according to CNN.

Several US government agencies, via interviews and Freedom of Information Act requests, told CNN no such official recording devices existed.

In the absence of recordings, greater weight is now placed on Mr Comey’s damning memos of the conversations.

On May 12, in response to a New York Times report of Mr Comey’s talks with Mr Trump, the President hinted on Twitter that the conversations may have been recorded, saying the former FBI boss “better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!”

Mr Comey subsequently leaked the contents of memos made after his discussions with the President, during which he claims Mr Trump attempted to pressure him into dropping the FBI investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s dealings with Russia.

Those urgings have given rise to the prospect of obstruction of justice charges being levelled against Mr Trump, which many see as a trigger for his impeachment.

The contents of memos were outlined by Mr Comey in testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

He also promised to pass them on to special counsel Robert Mueller, who is also investigating Russian meddling.

CNN quoted a senior administration official as saying it became clear that President Trump had to “come clean on his lie about the Comey tapes before the Friday deadline set on him by Congress to hand over any recordings”.

CNN also quoted a Republican close to the President as saying that while Mr Trump was amused by the obsession over the possible existence of the tapes, the episode was “one of worst things the President has done, with fallout that led to the appointment of a special counsel”.

“If he doesn’t regret this, he should,” said the Republican associate was quoted as saying.

James Comey

Mr Comey outlined his memos before the Senate committee. Photo: Getty

Appearing before the Senate earlier this month, Mr Comey confirmed he had been asked by the President to “let go” any possible prosecution of Mr Flynn for misleading the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador.

He said he was also asked by the President to give assurances that he would be loyal.

When asked whether he thought the conversation had been recorded, Mr Comey replied: “Lordy, I hope there are tapes.”

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