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WASHINGTON — President Trump insisted Thursday he didn't fire FBI Director James Comey because of the Russia investigation, despite video and documentary evidence to the contrary.
"Not that it matters but I never fired James Comey because of Russia!" Trump tweeted before taking off on a fundraising trip to Texas. "The Corrupt Mainstream Media loves to keep pushing that narrative, but they know it is not true!"
Two days after the May 9, 2017, dismissal, Trump told NBC News that, while Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had endorsed Comey's firing, he would have taken the same action even without the recommendation — and he cited Russia as a a reason.
"And, in fact, when I decided to just do it I said to myself, I said, 'you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story,'" Trump told NBC's Lester Holt. "It’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should’ve won.”
Trump's critics quickly cited that NBC interview.
"@realDonaldTrump tweets he didn't fire Comey over the Russia investigation," tweeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. "Let's go to the videotape."
Trump's claim came a day after news that former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe authored a memo quoting Rosenstein as saying that Trump asked him to refer to the Russia investigation as a reason for recommending Comey's dismissal.
In any event, the Rosenstein memo referred only to Comey's overall management of the bureau, including his handling of the Hillary Clinton private email server case.
Yet the day after Comey's firing, Trump reportedly told visiting Russian diplomats that "I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job. I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.”
More:McCabe memo: Trump asked Rosenstein to mention Russia in Comey firing
More:Listen: James Comey's extended interview with USA TODAY
More:Exclusive: James Comey strikes back against 'morally unfit' Donald Trump in scathing interview
Trump and aides also criticized Comey by saying that the FBI director privately told the president he was not the subject of investigation, but would not say that publicly.
Comey, meanwhile, has said he believes he was fired because he rebuffed Trump's request to go easy on a central figure in the Russia probe, former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
The FBI director's firing is central to an obstruction of justice investigation being conducted by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is also looking into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election in order to help Trump.
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