Comey: Trump asked me for my loyalty, and then we looked at each other in 'awkward silence'
Former FBI Director James Comey will testify Thursday that when President Donald Trump asked him for loyalty, "awkward silence" ensued.
According to Comey's prepared remarks to the Senate Intelligence Committee, released Wednesday, Trump called him during lunchtime one day in late January and invited him to dinner. Comey had assumed that others would be at the dinner.
"My instincts told me that the one-on-one setting, and the pretense that this was our first discussion about my position, meant the dinner was, at least in part, an effort to have me ask for my job and create some sort of patronage relationship," Comey said. "That concerned me greatly, given the FBI's traditionally independent status in the executive branch."
Trump apparently began by asking Comey whether he wanted to stay on as FBI director, and Comey said that he found the question odd given the president's previous statements that he hoped Comey would stay on, as well as Comey's assurances that he intended to remain at his position.
A little while later, Comey's remarks say, Trump said, "I need loyalty, I expect loyalty."
His remarks continued: "I didn't move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed. We simply looked at each other in silence. The conversation then moved on, but he returned to the subject near the end of our dinner."
They moved on from the topic for a little while, but then Trump broached it again near the end of their dinner, Comey's remarks said.
"He then said, 'I need loyalty.' I replied, "You will always get honesty from me." He paused and then said, 'That's what I want, honest loyalty.' I paused, and then said, 'You will get that from me.'"
Comey was abruptly fired on May 9. His appearance before the Senate on Thursday will be his first public comments since the firing.
Read Comey's full prepared remarks below:
James Comey Prepared Senate Testimony June 8 by Rebecca Harrington on Scribd