The New York Times reported this afternoon that Trump discussed his decision to fire James Comey during his oval office meeting with the Russian ambassador and foreign minister.
Documents revealed to the Times also show that Trump referred to Comey as a "nut job."
“I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job,” Mr. Trump said, according to the document, which was read to The New York Times by an American official. “I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.”
Mr. Trump added, “I’m not under investigation.”
The White House has not disputed the Times report and, the way I see it, they can't dispute it. The White House can't deny or dispute Trump's words because the transcript is out there and many more people, including some members of Congress, have seen it now. Moreover, the Russians also have a transcript of the meeting and could easily expose it.
Not coincidentally, the photo at the top of this post was also taken by the Russians. It's among the only photos we have of their meeting because no members of the American press were allowed into the room.
In related news, the Washington Post also reported this evening that the investigation has reached the White House and now includes someone very close to Trump.
The senior White House adviser under scrutiny by investigators is someone close to the president, according to these people, who would not further identify the official.
The revelation comes as the investigation also appears to be entering a more overtly active phase, with investigators shifting from work that has remained largely hidden from the public to conducting interviews and using a grand jury to issue subpoenas. The intensity of the probe is expected to accelerate in the coming weeks, the people said.
A senior adviser who is "close" to Trump?
My money is on Jared Kushner. And that's not even a stretch. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Kushner's dealings with a Russian state bank are being scrutinized.
At the very least, Donald Trump is guilty of obstruction of justice. He has made that very clear.