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President Donald Trump repeatedly tried to woo former FBI Director James Comey through phone calls, private sit-downs and even a hug, according to a published account of their relationship by a Comey friend.
Benjamn Wittes, who runs a blog called Lawfare and describes himself as a Comey confidant, shared an extensive readout on his site Thursday of what he says Comey told him about his relationship with Trump. Wittes describes Comey as bothered by Trump's efforts to chit-chat with the FBI director, who traditionally is supposed to maintain a formal, clearly defined relationship with the president.
Wittes' allegations, first told to The New York Times, revolve mostly around what he learned directly from Comey at a lunch with him at the FBI in late March, Wittes says.
"While I am not in the habit of discussing with reporters my confidential communications with friends, I decided that the things Comey had told me needed to be made public," he wrote, adding that he was not speaking at "Comey's request."