President Trump was expected this week to reveal tapes he had of conversations with fired FBI Director James Comey, but former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said it’s all a big bluff.
“I think he was in his way instinctively trying to rattle Comey,” Gingrich, a longtime Trump confidant, told the Associated Press. “He’s not a professional politician. He doesn’t come back and think about Nixon and Watergate. His instinct is: ‘I’ll outbluff you.'”
The possibility of the Trump tapes came about in May days after Trump fired Comey, who was heading the FBI investigation into the president’s connection to Russia meddling in the election.
Comey recounted a White House meeting he had with Trump in January when he said the president asked him to pledge his loyalty.
Trump disputed Comey’s version and claimed the G-man actually pleaded for his job.
Then the president tweeted that Comey “better hope there are no ‘tapes” of our conversations.”
The tapes have never surfaced even though lawmakers investigating Russian involvement in the election are calling for the White House to release them – if they exist.
As recently as Tuesday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said stay tuned.
“The president has said that he will make an announcement on this. I expect it this week,” Spicer said at press briefing in the West Wing.
One congressional panel probing Russia – the House Intelligence Committee – has set a deadline for this Friday.