Former FBI director James Comey is expected to confirm reports that U.S. President Donald Trump pressured him to drop an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s ties to Russia, CNN said on Wednesday.
The TV network credited an unidentified source, which has not been confirmed by Global News, adding that Comey’s Senate Intelligence Committee testimony could come as early as next week.
Ken Dilanian, an investigative reporter at NBC News, confirmed the reports in a tweet.
CNN added that Comey, who was fired by Trump on May 9, has been working with Special Counsel Robert Mueller III to shape his testimony, and will likely decline to speak about the FBI’s investigation into possible ties that existed between the Trump campaign and Russia.
“The bottom line is he’s going to testify,” an unnamed source told CNN. “He’s happy to testify, and he’s happy to cooperate.”
Comey will discuss his interactions with Trump, during which the president allegedly pressured the former director to provide information regarding ongoing FBI investigations.
WATCH: Trump categorically denies he asked James Comey to halt investigation
According to The New York Times, those interactions included a dinner during which Trump told Comey to “pledge his loyalty,” and an Oval Office meeting where he was asked to close a probe on Flynn.
Trump has repeatedly denounced the investigation as a “witch hunt,” claiming it is being perpetuated by “fake news” organizations.
On Tuesday, the president tweeted that Russians must be “laughing” at the controversy, which he claims has been conspired to explain why Democrats lost the 2016 election.
— With files from Reuters
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