Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at tin Las Vegas, Nevada. October 8, 2015.
Photo by Isaac Brekken for Getty Images
Two more stories surrounding the FBI's investigation into President Donald Trump's possible connections with Russia broke on Friday.
The Washington Post reported a big development in the probe: a "senior White House adviser" is currently a person of significant interest. Yashar Ali, a reporter, pointed out on Twitter that only two people currently hold that title in the White House: Stephen Miller, author of the Muslim Ban, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Kushner was previously reported to have encouraged Trump to fire Comey.
While sources confirmed that the investigation is ramping up into "a more overtly active phase" of subpoenas and interviews, it does not mean that any charges will be handed down soon. Investigations into former Trump officials, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, are still ongoing.
The second bombshell, reported by The New York Times, claims that Trump told the Russian officials he hosted in the Oval Office that FBI director James Comey, who Trump had fired the day before, was "crazy, a real nut job.” He added that firing Comey, despite the subsequent political firestorm, had helped him. “I faced great pressure because of Russia," he said. "That’s taken off.” Finally, he allegedly told the Russians, incorrectly, that he is not under any investigation.
Press Secretary Sean Spicer did not contest the The New York Times report in a statement, instead choosing to condemn leaks. "Once again, the real story is that our national security has been undermined by the leaking of private and highly classified conversations.” A government official briefed on the meeting told the Times that he believed Trump was using a "negotiation tactic."