Transcript for James Comey Part 3: Trump asks for ‘honest loyalty’
I, doohn trump, do ear tt I will fthfully execute. R: Januaryh, Donald J. Trump inaugurated the 45th psident of the united States. On Saturday, January 21st, masses of demonstrators take to streets, among them, the family of James Comey. My wife and girls marched in thmarch the day after president P’s inaugution. At least my four daughters — probably all five of my kids, nted Hillary con to be the first woman president. Ow my amazing spouse did. I wanted a woman president ly badly, and I orted Hillary Clinton. A lot of my friends worked for he and I was devastated when she lost Reporter: Ny, with bizarre trump T talk still etched in his mind, Comey is invited to a reception for law enforcemenficials at the white house. You didn’t want to go? Remember, there were a whole lot of people who thought that I halplect donaltrump. And so why would I wanna go to a public reception with president two days after he takes office? Rter: He is deterd keep his distance from the president. I walked in the blue room andwent to thfa end, as far away as physically possible Reporter: FBI director, 6’8″, trying to become invisible. I ld right next to is blue curtain. But close enough. I’m thinking, “How great is that. I got a little camouflage.” And start movinover and I pressed myself against the blue N. Thinking, this is my save. This will save me from having this public embrwi president. Reporter: Well, thaesn’t . He’s become more famous than me. I remember the walk, it seems like 1,000 yards across the blue room, E oval blue room. And my family’s had a lot of fun watching face as I walk across, cause they know that’s face. Rorter: Well, that’s not exactly whatrice said, is it? Well, I didn’t wanna say it on television. She said, that’s Jim’s oh, Face. I’m determined there’s not going to be a hug. Our Arre tense a he gets just far enough that I get something worse thanug. Fortunatel the came were on the left side of my face, and so thehole worldaw him kiss me. And he didn’t kiss me,sa really look forward to working with. Reporter: What do you think is going through his min I thinks about establishing dominance and nge part of E family. President trump Russian president Vladimir Putin — Reporter: Dayter, a phone ll. So I’m at my desk, eating my lunch D working. And my assistant says, “There’s a call coming from the white use.” It’she preside asking me if I wanna come over for dinner night. I said, “Sure, sir.” And he said — R why not S no? Well, it’s the president of the United States calling to ask me to a dinner. And I was assuming it was a group dinner. Reporteince the ds of J. Edgar Hoover, presidents rarely, if ever, dine alone withfbi directs. But when Comey arrives he is alone. Standing at the entrance to the grn room, I W it. A table unmistakably set for two. Reporter:hat did yothink was going on? Shing that de me mfortable, and so waited. Thers no — there was no saying no at this point. Reporter: Howdid it take to get down to business? I think it was probably during the salad, before the shrimp scampi. He redirected the conversation and he said, “You know, a lot of pele would want to be FBI director and given all you’ve gohrough, I uld undersnd if you wanna walk away, but it would lookyou’d done someing wrong if you did that. But I figured I should meet with you and see what you wto do. Reporter: Wit of his ten-year termaining, and having previously assured the prent he wanted Tay on, Comey was surprised by the question. What was the rest of the table talk like? It was hiing almost the entire time, so it would be monologue in this direction monologue in that direction, monologue D diion. On and on and on and on. R assaultethese women, I never made fun of a reporter. I don’t remember! And a constant series of rtions, about the inauguration crowd. Thicrowd was massive. Hisugowd was bigger than that at Barack Obama’s first intion. That’s just not true. That’s not a perspective, that’s not a view, that’s just a lie. And yet he would it, and, ryone agrees, everyone says, everyoieves.” Rter: So you’re listening. Are you thinking, “President trump’s a liar?” Yes, . Reporter: Amid the torrent of talk, Comey says it becomes clear what’s reason the menu that N, his job. The purpose of the dinner was for him xtract from me a promise of loyalty. Reporter: S asks you what you want and says what he wants. He said, “I expect loyalty, I need loyalty.” And I just stared at him and had this little narratwith myself inside, saying, “Don’t U don’t you re move. Don’t B Reporter: Why not say no? Hink because I was ct Tolly by surprise. I couldn’t thia clever response. By the second time he came BAC it, I Hady wits about me and had a better answer. Repr:t was the cod time? H, again, “I need loyalty.”and I said”you will always get honesty from me. And he paused and then he said, “Honest loyalty,” as if he was proposing some compromise or a Al and I paused and said, “You’ll get that from me.” Reporter: Did you cross a line WYOU promis him honest loyty? Would it bfair for him to think, “Wait, I have a D here.” H, I don’t think S look, it was a compromise on M part, to try and avoid a really awkward conversation, get out of wkversation. Reporr: Was it a mistake? Y don’t know. But maybaybe. Maybe it woue been BETR give a more explicit — say, “Sir, I can’t promise you loyalty.” But in then, it didn’t occme.ane I didn’tave the guts to do ted to get out of this conversation without romising myself. But in hindsight, you’re obably right. I probably should have done it differently. Reporter: After he left the white house,ey went home, D very comp, cein typed O a detailed memo of his encounter with the president months later, when news he dinner out, president trump denied asked Comey to pledge loyalty. I hardly know the.m not going to say, “I want you to pledge allegiance.” Who would that? Who would ask a man to pledge allegiance under oath? I mean thif it, I hardly know the man. It doesn’t make sense.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
