AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Former FBI Director James Comey.
President Trump reportedly asked former FBI director James Comey to end the FBI's investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn during an Oval Office meeting in February, according to a memo written by Comey, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
Trump fired Comey last week.
Initially, the White House said that the Russia probe had nothing to do with the president's decision and that he had acted solely on the recommendations of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Trump said days later that the investigation had been a factor in his decision and called Comey a "showboat" and a "grandstander." He tweeted on Friday that "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!"
The Times noted that Comey's memo "was part of a paper trail Mr. Comey created documenting what he perceived as the president's improper efforts to influence an ongoing investigation."
While the Times did not obtain the memo, portions of the document were read to a Times reporter by an associate of Comey's who had a copy.