Trump denies influencing FBI investigation

President Trump denied personally influencing the FBI probe into former national security adviser Michael Flynn despite mounting reports to the contrary.

“No, next question,” Trump said Thursday at a joint press conference with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos when asked about reports that he told then-FBI Director James Comey to stop investigating Flynn.

Trump added that any suggestion that he committed any action that could be seen as grounds for impeachment is “totally ridiculous.”

{mosads}He followed by explaining that he believed firing Comey would be greeted with bipartisan support and pointed to the recommendation he received from Deputy Attorney Rod Rosenstein to fire Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.

“I actually thought when I made that decision — and I also got a very, very strong recommendation from [Rosenstein] — when I made that decision. I thought it would be bipartisan,” Trump said.

“You look at all the people on the Democratic side, not just the Republican side, saying such terrible things about Director Comey.”

The mounting developments in the Justice Department’s investigation — including damning reports about Flynn, Rosenstein’s appointment of a special counsel, and accusations from Democrats that Rosenstein only wrote his recommendation after he knew Comey was to be fired — have taken hold of the headlines and put the White House on the defensive.

During the press conference, Trump reiterated his belief that the entire investigation is a “witch hunt.”

“There is no collusion between certainly myself and my campaign — but I can only speak for myself — and the Russians, zero,” he said.

“There is no collusion. Russia is fine, but … my total priority, believe me, is the United States of America.”