mr trump was not happy. oked hillary compromised our national security. " "no charges. wow! #riggedsystem." remember, later on, mr comey announced that the fbi was examining new emails of mrs clinton's, less than two weeks before the election. mr trump said that had taken guts. next, let's move on to when donald trump became president. he appointed michael flynn as his national security advisor. questions quickly arose about his connections to russia. at the end of january, james comey says mr trump invited him to dinner, alone. he says during this dinner the president said, "i need loyalty, i expect loyalty." "i didn't move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed." now, we knew this before today, because the same account had appeared in the new york times. it turns out james comey had leaked it. well, at the time of the leak, the president denied saying any such thing. meanwhile, the allegations about general flynn continued to leak in the press, including o

a briefing on the investigation of russia's election meddling and claims about to become public mr. trump was involved with prostitutes four years earlier in moscow, something trump has denied. comey thought about whether to give it assurance that mr. trump was not under investigation. that was true comey says, he did not have an open counter intelligence case on him. i offered that insurance. comey decided right then to document his conversations with mr. trump and began typing the notes on a laptop as he rode away from trump tower in an fbi car. next meeting dinner at the white house january 27th. comey said the president told him i need loyalty, i expect loyalty. comey says i didn't move, speak or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed but later answered you will always get honesty from me and he also told the president the fbi was not investigating mr. trump personally. in his interview with lester holt, the president said comey requested the dinner. >> that dinner was arranged. i think he asked for the dinner and he wanted to stay on as the fb

in his statement comey says he did give mr. trump assurances on a number of occasions that mr. trump was not under personal investigation. in that statement he says the president asked for his loyalty to which comey replied you will always get honesty to me. mr. trump said according to comey, that's what i want, honest loyalty. the first assurance trump was not under investigation was when he and comey met at trump tower on january 6th when trump was president elect. nancy cordes, what happened? >> comey decided woe -- he would keep accurate notes. to assure accuracy he gaj to type out outside trump tower everything he had said to the president and vice versa. and that's why we have these verbatim quotes it appears to be from comey ant the president in subsequent conversations both in person and on the phone. in which comey says, that he felt that the president was either trying to extract his loyalty, or receive reassurances from him that he would try tamp down the investigation into the fired national security advisor michael flynn. >> pelley: i want to make sure everyone unde

comey was so rattled by his encounters, he says he took steps to avoid being with mr. trump alone. nbc news justice correspondent pete williams has details. >> reporter: james comey gives a dramatic account often in vivid detail of five one on one conversations with donald trump. the first with president elect trump in new york january 6th. a briefing on the investigation of russia's election meddling and claims about to become public mr. trump was involved with prostitutes four years earlier in moscow, something trump denied. comey thought about whether to give it assurance mr. trump was not under investigation. that was true comey says, he did not have an open counter intelligence case on him. i offer that insurance. comey decided right then to document his conversations with mr. trump and began typing the notes on a laptop as he wrote away from trump tower in an fbi car. >>> next meeting dinner at the white house january 27th. comey said the president said i need loyalty, i expect loyalty. comey says i didn't move, speak or change my facial expression in any way during the awkwar

comey did not want to be alone with mr. trump. aside to tell him private interactionist clinton fbi director and the president were inappropriate but could not guarantee the president would not try to talk to mr. comey again. he did not reveal what so unnerved him. mr. trump's request, the fbi director and investigation into the former national security adviser michael flynn, who had just been fired. you can see at 10:00 this thursday on c-span3, open phones, the numbers on the screen, you can also tweet us your thoughts and post on facebook. up first, democrats line, diane, go ahead. caller: this was for congressman faso. i wondered why he was not responding to the caller talking about postal service that we get no text payer money. host: anything else you want to add? caller: no. we do not get any taxpayer money. host: victor in florida, republican line, go ahead. caller: good morning. need -- for our politicians that they will vote for a balanced budget amendment, they will vote to limit taxes to 19% of gdp, they will vote to re

well, today, mr. trump said comey lied under oath, but he insisted that comey's testimony still proved that there was no collusion between anyone in his campaign and russia, and that the president himself did not obstruct justice. our coverage begins with margaret brennan. >> would you be willing to speak under oath to give your version of the eventses? >> 100%. >> reporter: president trump said he would be happy to speak with special counsel robert mueller about his conversations with james comey. >> i would be glad to tell him exactly what i just told you, jim. >> reporter: it would be a significant moment in an investigation that has gone from examining the trump campaign's ties to russia to possibly whether the president committed obstruction of justice. >> no collusion, no obstruction, he's a leaker. >> reporter: the president denied comey's accusation that he pressured the then-f.b.i. director to drop the investigation of the national security adviser michael flynn. >> he did say under oath that you t

mr. trump tweeted recently that china tried and we need to move on. i don't know what that meant or how well it was vetted through the administration. what is the play on china, and how does the u.s. also at the same time assert maritime freedom of navigation in the south china sea while trying to get china to play? >> chairman, you have about 10 seconds, i'm told. rep. thornberry: china needs to do more and we need to do more with more military capability in that region. that will help encourage china to do more. >> clearly, we have a lot more questions, but your time is limited. thank you so much for giving us some of it on this busy friday morning. we appreciate it. rep. thornberry: thank you. >> so much debate in washington is going to be on numbers, and as you said at the outset, we have so many different numbers going here, and the numbers will drive the policy and the acquisitions process, so how does this go forward from here between budget caps, the president's plans to the agreement that the house and senate seems to have on a $640 billion n

wider russian enquiry but james comey for an end to the wider russian enquiry butjames comey says mr trumpcloud over. it's not just trump told him there was a cloud over. it's notjust congress which is looking into the trump campaign's ties to russia. there was also an ongoing fbi investigation. in the saga of washington politics, james comey‘s testimony is a must see moment but it'sjust comey‘s testimony is a must see moment but it's just one act in what is becoming a long and drawn—out political drama. joining me now from washington is bbc correspondent david willis. the opening statement gives us a lot to chew on but there is nothing like the drama of the moment itself and thatis the drama of the moment itself and that is what we are waiting for. absolutely. described by the washington post as the equivalent of a political super bowl, if you like, made for television if ever there was such an event. hence all the major networks here are basically clearing their schedules to make room for the coverage ofjames comey‘s evidence to the senate intelligence committee. indeed one commentator h

hasink since mr. trumpisited the country and dealt with the country, there is every possibility that they have been gathering information on mr. trump all of that time. pedro: here is leesburg, virginia. democrats line. kevin, you are next. caller: thankscaller: for having this discussion. i hear the word back channel quite a bit and i wonder if that is appropriate. , seeingmited experience back channels being discussed through history are involving a third party or third country when we don't have a relationship. with russia, we have diplomatic relations. it seems setting up, to be a covert communication channel, especially talking about russian facilities. it is a covert communication channel. i wonder why it would be the purpose of making that covert if we have diplomatic relations with the country, i think this ofws a very deep distrust american institutions over hundreds of years. the intelligence community, the state department, it seems to me that donald trump, on the campaign trail, at one point see

director james comey says mr. trump asked for his help to lift the cloud of the russia investigation. also tonight, coats on, gloves off. >> why are you not answering these questions? is there an invocation by the president of the united states of executive privilege? >> pelly: the director of national intelligence under fire. the president nominates a new f.b.i. director. bill cosby's accuser under cross-examination. >> oh, my gosh. >> pelly: and cops respond to the call: officer needs assistance. >> will they turn on the sirens? >> t captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelly: today fired f.b.i. director james comey previewed the testimony he will give the senate intelligence committee tomorrow in its investigation of russian meddling in the u.s. election and whether anyone in the trump campaign was involved. the comea released comey's opening statement today, in which he says the president pressured him to drop the f.b.i. investigation of mr. trump's former national securit

briefing on the investigation of russia's election meddling and claims about to become public that mr. trump was involved with prostitutes in moscow, something trump denied. he thought about whether to give assurance mr. trump was not under investigation. that was true, comey says, we did not have an open case on him. i offered that assurance. comey says he decided right then to duck him at his conversations with mr. trump and began typing the notes on a laptop as he rode away from trump tower. next meeting dinner at the white house january 27. comey says the president told him i need loyalty, i expect loyalty. comey says i didn't move, speak or change my facial expression in any way but later answered you will always get honesty from me. he told the thapt the fbi was not investigating mr. trump personally. in his interview with lester holt he said that comey requested the dinner. >> the dinner was arranged. he wanted to stay on. >> reporter: comey says mr. trump called him and he says he got the feeling it was an evident to have me ask for my job and create some kind of patronage relationsh

mr. trumpighting city hall in green, and american cities, states, and corporations, from g.m. to g.e., vowed to keep up that battle against climate change. chip reid begins our coverage. >> the united states will withdraw from the paris climate accord. >> reporter: the president's announcement was exactly what conservative activists in and out of his administration were eoping to hear, but the president left the door open a bit, making clear that during the four years it takes to formally withdraw from the agreement, he'll try to get a deal that he says would be fair to the u.s. >> this agreement is less about the climate and more about other countries gaining a financial advantage over the united states. >> reporter: the paris accord, he said, would lead to the loss of millions of american jobs, and redistribute u.s. wealth to the rest of the world. >> we don't want other leaders s d other countries laughing at us anymore, and they won't be. >> reporter: mr. trump's decision followed a spirite

mr. trump's former national security adviser. comey says mr. trump described the f.b.i.'s russia investigation as a cloud and asked comey what comey could do to lift it. the testimony, based on comey's notes, also confirms the president's statement that he was not under investigation. chief congressional correspondent nancy cordes begins our coverage. >> reporter: comey's ve describes his conversations with the president in detail. seven days after the inauguration, comey says, the president invited me to dinner. it turned out to be just the two of us. my instincts toll me that the one-on-one setting meant that the dinner was, at least in part, an effort to have me ask for my job and create some sort of patronage relationship. sure enough, comey says, the president said, "i need loyalty. i expect loyalty." i didn't move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed. we simply looked at each other in silence.

his first meeting with mr. trump is on january 6th. t salacious claims about trump and a so-called doccier. comey, also, assured trump he was not under investigation. quote, that was true, comey says. we did not have an open counter intelligence case on him. i offered that assurance. but it is the portion about michael flynn that is expected to lead to a lot of questions today. on february 14th, the day after flynn was forced to resign, comey quotes the president as saying, i hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting flynn go. he is a good guy. comey says, i did not say i would let this go, adding i had understood the president to be requesting that we drop any investigation of flynn. so a lot of interesting detail in this. it was after that conversation that comey asked attorney general jeff sessions to prevent any direct communications with the president. aaron, back to

comey says he decided right then to document his conversations with mr. trump and began typing the notes on a laptop as he rode away from trump tower. next meeting dinner at the white house january 27. comey says the president told him i need loyalty, i expect loyalty. comey says i didn't move, speak or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed, but later answered, you will always get honesty from me. he told the president that the fbi was not investigating mr. trump personally. in his interview with lester holt the president said comey requested the dinner. >> the dinner was arranged. i think he requested the dinner. >> reporter: comey says mr. trump called him and he says he got the feeling it was an evident to have me ask for my job and create some kind of patronage relationship. next february 14 after an intelligence briefing, the day after michael flynn was forced to resign. he quotes the president saying i hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting flynn go. he's a good guy. comey says i did not sa

mr trump has hit back claiming he is the victim of witch—hunt led by "very bad people".icials have called for uk interest rates to rise in a surprise move that signals policy makers are more concerned about rising inflation even as the uk economy grows. and finally, greece said it was hopeful of securing a deal yesterday that could end months of eurozone feuding with the imf — in fact, they have secured that deal— and unlock sorely needed bailout cash for greece to avert a fresh crisis.

march 30, comey claims mr. trumpays if there were satellite associates of his who did something wrong, it would be good to find that out. april 11. comey says president trump again wants to know he wasn't under investigation tell him, i've been very loyal to you. very loyal. we had that thing, you know. may 3, comey testifies in front of the senate judiciary committee and says that infamous phrase, mildly nauseous. may 9, trump fires comey. you wouldn't believe what's in this kiester. a farmer's market. a fire truck. even a marching band. and if i can get comfortable talking about this kiester, then you can get comfortable using preparation h. for any sort of discomfort in yours. preparation h. get comfortable with it. p3 planters nuts, jerky and whaseeds.at? i like a variety in my protein. totally, that's why i have this uh trail mix. wow minty. p3 snacks. the more interesting way to get your protein. >>> welcome back. of course we're calling you the you unofficial mayor of the washington press corps. i didn't know

mr. trump had vowed to move the embassy to jerusalem, which would infuriate the palestinianso their capital. >>> while in the rose garden the president said he was monitoring an attack on a tourist resort in the philippines. cell phone video shows people running frantically from resorts world in manila after hearing shots and seeing fire in the casino. this appears to have been a robbery, not terror. no serious injuries. >>> lebron james is playing the nba finals tonight, but basketball isn't the only thing on his mind in a week when hate has been on display in places like washington, portland, and los angeles. here's jericka duncan. >> racism will always be a part of the world, a part of america. >> reporter: when lebron james speaks, the world listens. at an nba championship press conference james responded to his l.a. home getting spray-painted with the n word. >> no matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, you kn tough. >> reporter:

mr. trump's staunch supporters. eynolds found a few in wisconsin. >> at two brothers restaurant in oshkosh, trump supporters are getting impash enlt. not with the president. >> leave him alone. let him do what he wants to do. the media, honed in constantly. really? >> this group of retirees backs the president on most every move he makes with one exception. says, adolph hendricks. >> look to see him little more presidential, perhaps. little dignified. >> les talo say tweets. >> just gives the democrats fodder for their, daily -- daily attacks. >> attacks on him. >> reporter: warren thompson dismisses the big issue consuming washington. >> do they ever talk about the russia, thing? does it bother anybody here. >> this whole thing is the, far as i'm concerned is a conspiracy, total distraction. >> they're among the 72% of republicans who remain in the president's corner. according to our new cbs news poll. but that number is down from 83% 52 days ago. and his disapproval rate among republicans is up, 7 points. >> what

mr. trump's former national security adviser. comey says mr. bed the fbi's russia investigation as a cloud and asked comey what comey could do to lift it. the testimony, based on comey's notes also confirms the presient's statement that he was not under investigation. our chief congressional correspondent, nancy cordes begins our coverage. >> reporter: comey's seven-page opening statement describes his conversations with the president in detail. inauguration, comey says, the president invited me to dinner. it turned out to be just the two of us. instincts told me that the one on one setting meant that the dinner was at least in part an effort to have me ask for my job and create some sort of patron and relationship. sure enough, comey says, the president said, i need loyalty. i expect loyalty. i didn't move, speak or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed. we simply looked at each other in silence. >> he wanted to have dinner, because he wanted to stay on. >> reporter: the president has claimed comey prop

government has granted mr. trumpancial favors, such as allowing him to keep the lease on the old post office as the site of his washington, d.c., hotel, even though the original contract, made when mr. trump was a private citizen, barred any elected official from remaining on the lease. >> the suit was filed by two democratic attorney generals. the lawyers driving the suit are an advocacy group with partisan ties. >> reporter: white house spokesman sean spicer dismissed the legal filing as dirty politics. >> i think we'll continue the move to dismiss this case in the normal course of business. >> reporter: while president trump has declined to follow the tradition of publicly releasing his tax returns, the attorneys general will ask the court to demand their release in order to show the extent of his business interests, including any loans. scott, this is the first lawsuit of its kind. really no precedent to prejudge its outcome. >> pelley: margaret brennan at the white house. thanks. today anyone can book an event a

watching that report, mr trump and his supporters will not care less about this?esident trump held last week in iowa. certainly the message from the president during that rally was his focus on putting america first. he said after decades of building foreign nations, we are now rebuilding our nation. do some extent, throughout the campaign and even last week, president trump was reinforcing the notion that perhaps globalisation isn't a great thing. we've seen in the last few months president trump criticised the london mayor, apparently refusing to shake the hand of angela merkel. at a summit recently he appeared to push through to the front of a group of world leaders who were walking. he doesn't particularly care. of course, around the world, those actions have drawn scorn. we have seen that when we look at the results of the survey. for the supporters that i have been speaking to throw the campaign, they really don't care, because they don't see him asa don't care, because they don't see him as a politician as such, he is a deal maker, and they like the fact th

mr. trumpor more than a decade and have many fond memories of our friendship together but hasn't stopped us from worrying about his fitness and abhorrent behavior. during the height of the presidential campaign joe often listened to trump staff members complain about their boss' erratic behavior including a campaign official who was as close to the candidate as anyone. we, too have noticed a change in his behavior the past few years and perhaps why we were neither knocked nor insulted by the president's terrible apack. the donald trump we knew before the campaign was a flawed character but one who still seemed capable of keeping his worst instincts in check. lawmakers on capitol hill were asked about the president's tweets yesterday. some of them reacting and saying he's unfit for office. this is a headline from "the hill" newspaper with senator hatch, republican of utah, saying every once in a while, about the president's tweets, you get a dipsy-doodle. then the reaction on twitter from the re

presidents from receiving gifts or payments from foreign governments — something the lawsuit claims mr trumps until tomorrow to respond. samira hussain reports from new york the president of the united states, donald trump, is being sued. the lawsuit argues that mr trump's businesses are getting money from foreign governments which is a no—no according to the us constitution's morley ‘s calls. what is in emoluments? it is an 18p —— an 18th—century term for bribes? given the connection to the president it's easy to see how this all tolls and restau ra nts easy to see how this all tolls and restaurants have easy to see how this all tolls and restau ra nts have a n easy to see how this all tolls and restaurants have an advantage in attracting business. it's hard to compete against them and customers might choose a trump business in case it gives them a little in with the commander—in—chief. case it gives them a little in with the commander-in-chief. when those dignitaries choose to dine there and hold events there, they are not going to some of the restaurants that are owned by the restaurant o

as with so many things mr trump lives in an ultimate reality.he has done his commit an act of vandalism against the greatest achievement of the 21st century, the paris agreement. it requires only involu nta ry agreement. it requires only involuntary moves on the part of countries. at america's state at the table, it would voluntarily do what most of america wants, 69% of the voters in the united states wanted to stay part of the agreement, the majority of citizens in every one of the 50 states of the us wanted to stay in, and since mr trump announced his move, 30 states have said they will continue their own plans to rip —— reduce climate change summit means most american people and the economy is going to go ahead despite what mr trump is doing. he is going to find out that the american president isn't an emperor and the country will stay connected with the world and keep reducing emissions. so you say he could have stayed at the table and decided to reduce the requirements that america had signed up to but if he does decide to go ahead and pul

it is not true when mr. trump was a candidate. anthony at four separate rallies mr. trump specifically encouraged supporters to punch, rough up, or hurt protesters. twice he promised to pay the legal bills of any supporter who did. >> mason: major garrett at the white house. it wasn't the first time this week that the president's comments about women have drawn attention. the issue dogged him during the campaign as well. more now from nancy cordes. >> reporter: what drew scrutiny earlier this week wasn't an insult but a compliment. >> katrina perry, she has a nice smile and face so i bet she treats you well. >> reporter: white house aides say want president was just being friendly to an irish reporter. critics say he has a history of honing in on women's looks. >> you've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals. >> reporter: when megyn kelly asked him about it, candidate trump trained his fire on her. >> reporter: but now, he inhabits the oval office. a league of democratic congress women accused him today of setting a bad example unde

mr. trump barely won the district in november. now some are looking at today's vote as a referendum on had him. mark strassmann is in the georgia sixth. >> reporter: karen handel is the republican candidate in a district as red as georgia clay. she should be coasting into congress. but she's not. >> i think everybody should watch me putting on my "i voted" sticker since my opponent can't do that today. >> reporter: her opponent, democrat jon ossoff, could not vote for himself today because he lives outside the district. the 30-year-old former congressional aide hopes to pull off the upset and turn this red district blue in what has become the most expensive congressional race in history both parties in washington waste too much of your money. >> reporter: combined the two campaigns spent $56 million, nearly double the previous record. >> get out and vote! >> reporter: president trump has weighed i weighed in repeaty tweeting today: >> we're proud that california is the leading funder of the jon ossoff campaign. >> reporter: hannib

mr trump has a lot of interest in trying to keep that under wraps, to keep that private, and you willa lot of golf during his presidency and claimed he wouldn't have to time to golf if he was in the white house. well according to nbc that's not quite accurate... they've calculated how many days the president has spent at his businesses and golf courses during his term so far. he's been in office 142 days. he's spent 42 days at his properties — over half of these were at mar—a—lago in florida. and he has spent 29 days at his golf properties. i think that means our programme has been running for about 140 something days, how many times have you played golf in that time? not once. they keep me busy on this programme! what i have seen on twitter is that he co nsta ntly i have seen on twitter is that he constantly gate—crashes these weddings. when he goes to the golf club, hejust weddings. when he goes to the golf club, he just photo weddings. when he goes to the golf club, hejust photo bombs weddings. when he goes to the golf club, he just photo bombs the weddings. when he goes to the gol

the state department kind of leaning a little bit more forward, and mr. trump seems to have his own views, but we are never sure exactly what those are. is that a risk moving forward? rep. thornberry: one of the things, as i visit with leaders in europe and asia and elsewhere around the world -- one of the things i try to remind everybody is congress is a separate, independent branch of government, so i think you will see on both sides of the aisle, on both sides of the capital and congress, a very clear eyed you about russia, what their intentions are, and what their capabilities are. secondly, i think it may be ok if the administration approaches differentm slightly perspectives, and i would expect the military to be more cautious and the state department tried to encourage dialogue, etc. i don't think everybody has to be exactly the same because we're dealing with different aspects of the relationship, but doubt to say i have no secretary mattis, for example -- and i'm sure secretary tillerson -- understand where russia is headed, what they are willing to do

jackson lee: may i say to you, the president of the united tates, mr. trump, has violated any suggestion that he should be trusted with the oval office. we are members of the united states congress, men and women, who represent the people. the people seek not to have kings or queens, but they seek to have an office of the presidency that can be trusted. today, mr. trump, you have ceased to have the trust of the american people. when you begin to utilize again the diminishing of those who have mental health needs, sikecow, joe scarborough or low i. q. mika, and then you begin to talk about the private issues of women who have before in life have been discriminated against because they are women, blood is wherever, or your face bleeding, do you realize how workplacesshudder in of which we fight for equality, in schools, in their homes with the issue of domestic violence because they are not protected. and then our commander in chief seeks to take advantage of the position that he holds. so why do we do it? not for self, but for the words that were said about ca

mr. trump thinks that because he doesn't get close enough to understand them. >> and among the nations urging mr. trump not to abandon the accord is russia president putin signed it in paris. but the white house moved to mend fence and setting plans to return two russian compound on maryland eastern shore and long island. obama administration ordered them to vacate in retaliation for the e-mail hacking scandal. and first time president putin acknowledged that hackers whom putin described as pap triots may have trieded to inyou fluence in trump's favor. >> they contribute their opinions in order to protect russia. snieshgs the president made no apology for pulling out of the accord saying he was there to represent pittsburg and in the paris. >> lou: words that will live for a while. pittsburg and not paris. we'll have reaction from kelly conway. and our first guest is a long-standing crit and i can mr. trump's position to withdraw will offer them better choices. mike lee, he authored book. writt

mr. trumpas done fewer interviews and press conferences at this point in his presidency than his predecessor. the president's last sitdown interview was over a month ago. and he has held one solo press conference in february. despite being the president's chief spokesman, spicer couldn't answer key questions like whether the president agrees with the intelligence community assessment that russia interfered in the 2016 election. >> i have not sat down and talked to him about that specific thing. >> reporter: or whether the president has seen a drauft the senate health care bill all. haw i don't know if he has seen the legislation or not. >> reporter: opaqueness beyond the briefing room. keeping secret record of white house visitors. a link to a page suppose to post staff salaries says it is being updated. mr. trump yet to release his tax returns, parting with decades of presidential precedent. >> i have been under audit almost like since i became famous. okay. >> reporter: mr. trump's justice de

i think that mr. trump has visited the country has dealt with the country, there is every possibility that they have been gathering information on mr. trump all the time. >> host: leesburg, virginia. kevin your next. >> caller: thanks for having this discussion. i hear the word back channel quite a bit and i'm wondering whether that's appropriate. my experience limited experience, seen it back channels being discussed throughout history involves a third party or third country a when we don't have a relationship with russia we have diplomatic relations and i wonder setting up, it seems to be covert commit communications channel if they're using russian facilities and it's a covert communications channel and i would wonder what the purpose of making that covert is when we have diplomatic relations with the country i can give you my take which is this shows a very, very deep distrust of american institutions that have been built up over hundreds of years. the intelligence community, state department it seems t

mr. trump could try to declare their conversations private. comey is likely to be asked if mr. red him to end an investigation into a top aide's ties with russia. the u.s. defense secretary is warning beijing over its actions in south china sea. james mattis says the chinese officials are violating international law with blatant disregard by militarizeing man-made islands in the south china sea. >> the scope and effect of china's construction activities in the south china sea differ from those of other countries in several key ways. this includes the nature of its militaryvation. china's contempt for other nation's interests and etc. efforts to dismiss non-adversarial resolution of issues. we oppose countries militarizeing artificial islands and forcing excessive maritime claims unsupported by international law. >> the president trump's decision to withdraw from the paris climb accord is causing a furious response from former u.s. secretary of state john kerry. >> kerry has said climate change is as big a threat to the united states as terrorism or poverty. he told cnn's christi

mr. trump's principal campaign pledges. america's allies have spoken out. they have expressed alarm about the likely consequences of the u.s. leaving the agreement. >> for context, as we await the announcement, back in 2015, it was an international agreement among many countries, um, including the united states. it was aimed to reduce carbon emissions to slow rising global temperatures. also helping countries deal with the effect of climate change. under the obama administration, they committed to reduce emissions by 26 to 28% by the year 2025. right now, the only other countries that are not part of the accord are nicaragua and syria. >> we just as late as yesterday -- mr. trump did tweet that he will of course be announcing his decision today. but also, that he was still listening to a lot of people both ways. so we'll see what happens. we are hearing that he will announce that the u.s. will withdraw from the agreement. cbs news' weijia jang says that an american withdrawal would deepen the rift with american allies. >> we're going to cancel the agreement

mr. president. president trump is not the only threat to our global environment and the beautiful island states such as yours, madam president. thank you for coming to talk us to. climate change skeptics in the uk also threaten european global protection. the british elections deliver a disastrous result through the prime minister. and mrs. may battles on. she's appointed a new environment secretary. now he has a shocking record. when he was education secretary, he wanted to get climate change off the school contradict lumz. he voted to sell off all the england's publicly oenwned and protected forests, voted against green house gas emissions. he supports fracking and he supports drilling in national parks. he's opposed refitting homes to stop carbon loss. to quote a past colleague of this house, caroline lucas who is now an mp, michael grove san environmental disaster waiting to happen. he stated he had enough of experts while frank lit experts and the public have had enough of him too. just as they have had of pre

mr. trump? >> to mr. trump. >> what should he have said to mr. trump? >> i cannot do that, i have to go on with investigations, et cetera. be honest. we have to do it. >> i was never asked why i didn't think he was being truthful. but i believe he didn't adequately explain, why couldn't he just tell trump this is inappropriate, or tell the chief of staff or doj to tell trump? he continued on with that and could not adequately explain that. i feel the whole thing was wrapped around -- >> mr. comey says he believes he was fired because of the russian investigation, interestingly, the president has said i fired him because of russia. is there a problem with that? >> i don't have a problem with that. first of all, mr. trump represents the united states of america. president trump is our president and sets a standard. >> but he had commented many times that he liked the job mr. comey was doing. then all of a sudden he fires him because he doesn't like -- >> well, i think he tried to be up lifting and encouraging to your, quote, unquote, employees. but also h