Former FBI director James B. Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, a day after he released seven pages of prepared remarks.
Comey discussed President Trump asking him for his loyalty, and asking him to announce publicly that the president was not personally being investigated by the FBI as the bureau looked into possible links between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 election.
Information revealed in Comey's testimony offered a glimpse into the interactions he had with President leading up to his firing on May 9, and how these interactions compared with Trump's comments on their relationship.
Dec. 29
Jan. 6
During an intelligence briefing, Comey tells Trump about a “salacious and unverified” dossier that alleged Russia had compiled materials to blackmail the president. Comey also assures Trump he’s not being personally investigated. Read more
Jan. 10
CNN reports on the contents of the Russia dossier. BuzzFeed News later publishes the document, which includes allegations that Trump was involved with Russian prostitutes. Read more
Jan. 15
In an interview, Vice President-elect Mike Pence says Michael Flynn did not discuss Obama's sanctions with Kislyak in December, and the timing was “strictly coincidental.” Read more
Jan. 20
Trump sworn in as 45th president.
Jan. 22
Jan. 27
Acting attorney general Sally Yates meets with White House Counsel Don McGahn for the second straight day to express concerns over Flynn. Read more
Comey meets Trump for dinner at the White House, where Trump asks Comey if he’d like to stay on as the FBI’s director and states that “I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.” Trump also says he’d consider investigating the dossier, but Comey discourages the idea and reiterates that Trump is not being personally investigated. Read more
Feb. 9
The Washington Post reports Flynn discussed Obama's sanctions with Kislyak. Read more
Feb. 13
Flynn resigns as national security adviser. Read more
Feb. 14
Trump tells Comey that Flynn did nothing wrong in speaking to Kislyak, adding “I hope you can let this go.” He also expresses his concerns about classified information leaks. After the meeting, Comey discusses the leaks with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and says he does not want to be left alone with the president. Read more
FBI decides not to discuss Trump's Flynn request with Sessions, who was expected to recuse himself from the Russia probe, nor to go to the acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente, who would “not be long in the role.” Read more
Feb. 16
Trump tweets, “The Democrats had to come up with a story as to why they lost the election, and so badly (306), so they made up a story - RUSSIA. Fake news!” It's one of several tweets in 2017 where Trump describes the Russia investigation as fake news. Read more
Feb. 24
On Twitter, Trump complains the FBI has been “totally unable to stop the national security 'leakers'.” Read more
March 1
The Washington Post reports Sessions had two meetings with Russian envoys in 2016, which he did not disclose. Read more
March 2
Sessions recuses himself from all Russia probes. Read more
March 20
Comey publicly confirms that the FBI is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. Read more
March 22
Trump asks Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats if he could intervene with Comey on the Russia probe, according to a Post article. Read more
March 30
Comey reiterates to Trump that he is not being personally investigated. Trump says, “We need to get that fact out,” calling the probe “a cloud” and asks what can be done to “lift the cloud.” Trump also says he’d like to know if any of his “satellite” associates committed any wrongdoing. Read more
The Wall Street Journal reports Flynn offered to testify to Congress in exchange for immunity. Read more
March 31
Trump tweets, “Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!” Read more
April 11
Trump asks Comey about his request for him to publicly announce that the president was not being investigated. Comey says he contacted Boente, the acting deputy attorney general, and suggested Trump should, too. Trump tells Comey “I have been very loyal to you, very loyal; we had that thing you know.” Read more
April 12
In a Fox Business interview, Trump says it's “not too late” to ask Comey to step down but that he still has confidence in him. Read more
April 25
Rod Rosenstein confirmed as deputy attorney general, replacing Boente. Read more
May 2
May 9
Trump fires Comey via letter, emphasizing that “I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation.” Read more
In an attached memo, Rosenstein invokes the Clinton email scandal to justify Comey's firing. Read more
The New York Times and CNN report the Justice Department was asked to justify Comey's firing. Read more
Trump tweets, “Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, 'I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer.' Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp.” It's one of several tweets from the president accusing Democrats of hypocrisy on Comey. Read more
May 10
Trump goes on a Twitter tirade a day after Comey’s firing, saying the former director “lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington.” Read more
The Post and The New York Times report Trump reveals highly classified information in a meeting with Kislyak and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He is also reportedly said, “I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job. I faced great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off.” He also told Russian officials he was not under investigation. Read more
May 11
In an NBC Nightly News interview, Trump calls Comey a “showboat” and says he was planned to fire him regardless of the Justice Department's recommendations. Read more
May 12
Trump tweets, “James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” Read more
Mid-May
In response to Trump's tweet, Comey shares his memo covering the Flynn meeting with a “close friend” at Columbia Law School to disseminate to the media. Read more
May 16
Trump tweets, “I have been asking Director Comey & others, from the beginning of my administration, to find the LEAKERS in the intelligence community.....” Read more
May 18
At a news conference, Trump denies telling Comey to back off the Flynn investigation and reverses his position by saying he did fire him based on Rosenstein's recommendation. Read more
During a briefing with several senators, Rosenstein says he knew Comey would be fired even before he wrote his memo. Read more
May 19
Comey agrees to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Read more
June 5
White House announces it will not block Comey's testimony by invoking executive privilege. Read more
June 8
Comey testifies before Senate Intelligence Committee, revealing his belief that he was “fired because of the Russia investigation” and that administration descriptions of an FBI in disarray were “lies, plain and simple.” Read more
About this story
Events drawn from Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CBS News, NBC News, CNN, Reuters, BuzzFeed and NPR reports, as well as Twitter and Comey's prepared remarks for the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Originally published June 7, 2017.
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