Trump lawyer accuses Ex-FBI chief Comey of leaking 'privileged conversations'

A private lawyer for US President Donald Trump has come out swinging at former-FBI Director James Comey's senate testimony, saying Trump "never, in form of substance, directed or suggested that Mr Comey stop investigating anyone".

Marc Kasowitz also described Comey as a leaker of "privileged conversations", adding that "the president also never told Mr Comey 'I need loyalty, I expect loyalty' in form or substance."' Kasowitz also said that the President is "entitled to expect loyalty from those who are serving in an administration."

In a highly-charged session on Thursday (8 June), members of the Senate Intelligence Committee questioned Comey on the FBI's investigation into alleged Russian election interference and whether or not the Trump campaign team had colluded with Russia.

During the sessions, Comey said that he had given memos documenting his conversations with Trump to a friend so they could then hand them to the press.

Kasowitz said that Comey had "admitted that he had leaked to friends his purported memos of these privileged conversations".

He also emphasised that Comey again said that Trump himself was not under investigation, something the President had done in his letter terminating Comey as FBI chief. Around the same time as Comey's testimony, Trump said that he and his followers are "under siege" but that they will emerge "bigger and better and stronger than ever".

Comey said at the beginning of his testimony that the administration had told "lies, plain and simple" about the state of the FBI following his departure.

Much of his testimony revolved around memos which Comey says he made after conversations with Trump, documenting what had occurred.

Trump threateningly tweeted before that there might be 'tapes' of his and Comey's conversations; "Lordy, I hope there are tapes", Comey said on Thursday.